Community remembers Dariel Vasquez, killed fighting brush fire in Greenwood Lake
SPRING VALLEY, New York (WABC) -- A community is mourning the death of a parks worker killed while battling wildfire flames over the weekend.
His friends, family and loved ones gathered Monday for a vigil in his honor.
The balloons and candles, pictures and young faces made it so clear that Dariel Vasquez was just a teenager - an 18-year-old only beginning.
The memorial was very emotional with friends and family wiping tears and comforting one another.
Dariel was killed Saturday by a falling tree while he was out working the fire in the Sterling Forest located in Greenwood Lake, New York.
"Overall good kid, one of the hardest workers," Chris Landry, Ramapo High School baseball coach, said.
Dariel played baseball, was captain of his varsity team last year, and was voted best athlete even though he wasn't a baseball player when he started high school. He saved his money, worked at ShopRite, and was working with New York State Parks as a Parks and Rec aid, trying to make money for college.
Dariel was a go-getter, respectful, hard working, funny and loyal.
"He was a really good friend," Justyn Gray said. "If you needed help, he was going to be there to back you up."
His baseball coach said he was a manager's dream -- a kid who hustled and led by example, always encouraging his teammates.
"He's just a leader, he hustled on and off the field, he did everything the right way. He was always practicing his hardest, he was a kid that liked to have fun with a great laugh," Landry said.
Dariel's family - his mother and aunt and uncles - cannot believe what happened.
A few spoke to Eyewitness News off camera and said they were just shocked that such a terrible tragedy could happen so fast and randomly to someone with so much promise.
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