Hazel Joy Memorial Scholarship

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult and gut-wrenching experiences one can ever go through in life. Losing my little brother Evan, who we affectionately call E, was the most tragic event I have ever experienced. The accident occurred 5 years ago, just 3 weeks after he turned 10. He was trying to make it from California to Texas to see me compete on Team USA after making the US National Football team. My mom and I flew out to start practices, but Evan was afraid to fly so he decided to travel out with our dad, and grandparents, in their RV instead. He was called home when my grandpa fell asleep behind the wheel in Arizona and the RV rolled. An accident that severely injured my dad and other family members in the RV. After the accident occurred, I had to battle through grief and indescribable pain and depression, despite having a demanding schedule of being a full-time student, keeping my grades up, scouting and completing my Eagle rank project requirements, volunteering for the American Brain Tumor Association, playing football, and working to help my family financially. Football alone is demanding with the mandatory before and after school practice schedule, rigorous workouts and training. It took so much strength and perseverance for me to stay focused and committed to these endeavors, but I knew I couldn’t let my angel down. I found strength in the amazing support network around me, numerous brothers on my football team who were there for me on my toughest days and leaned into my faith heavily to see me though. After Evan’s passing, I dedicated over 500 community service hours to rebuilding the desert tortoise rehabilitation pens at The Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, California for my Eagle Scout Project. The desert tortoise is our State Reptile and is endangered, but more than that, my little brother fell in love with them when he did his first-grade school project on them, and I knew I had to find a way to help them. It was a difficult and emotional project that took me over a year and a half to plan and carry out, wrought with many obstacles including a windstorm that almost destroyed it, but one that was so meaningful to me and helped the Living Desert Zoo with establishing their Head Start program, in conjunction with the San Diego Zoo, to help rear baby desert tortoises from hatchlings to a size big enough to reintroduce them into the wild. The pens I built will help with the last step of the process, acclimating them to the harsh desert conditions before release. I also helped establish the Evan Fuentes Campership Fund with our local California Inland Empire Scouting Council with donations received from family and friends. The campership fund helps children in need pay for scout summer camp and leadership retreats in hope that it develops the same love of scouting, outdoors and camping as Evan had. Ultimately, the loss of my little brother has helped shape my calling in life. My lifelong goal is to continue to share my passion for helping others by becoming a firefighter and earning my bachelor’s in business administration, so I can move up the ranks in the department I end up working for. I want to be able to save as many lives as possible in hope that other families don’t have to say good-bye to their loved ones prematurely.