CALALLEN, TX — Hayley Ramirez was just five minutes away from her home the night of August 31, 2023, when tragedy struck.
23-year-old Valisios Talarantas, was traveling westbound on FM 624 in the eastbound lane in a Dodge Charger around 11:15 p.m. when he hit 19-year-old Hayley Ramirez's Chevrolet Camaro head-on.
Both Talarantas and Ramirez were pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Sgt. Harold Mallory with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Hayley Ramirez and her 1-year-old daughter, Everly Gomez, were both inside the vehicle when it was hit.
Everly was transported to a local hospital with severe injuries, and according to family, the 16-month-old toddler sustained a cervical spine injury and remains in the Intensive Care Unit.
"Her discs were a little separated, so they had to put a halo brace on her to keep her spine intact so she would not become paralyzed,” Amara Ramirez, Hayley's sister, said.
Amara says her sister Hayley was the youngest of the family, and it has been extremely difficult for the family to lose her at such a young age.
Hayley Ramirez graduated from Banquete High School in 2022, and she worked to get her EMT certification in August 2023, creating a bright future ahead of her.
“Family and friends of Hayley knew she enjoyed playing the piano, guitar, and video games. She had a funny, crazy, and loving personality. She loved watching horror movies and attending concerts,” stated Hayley’s family.
The Ramirez family also says they have been trying to remain strong for Everly as she continues to recover in the hospital.
“We’re not too sure how rehabilitation is going to look. We’ll know more when she starts it in a week or so,” Amara Ramirez said.
A prayer service for Hayley Ramirez is scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, at 6 p.m. A burial service is set for Wednesday, September 13, at 11 a.m. at Memory Gardens.
