A tragic accident in Bastrop County has taken the life of a five-year-old boy, who is now remembered for his love of dinosaurs and boundless happiness. Ulises Rodriguez Montoya was identified by Hays Consolidated Independent School District as the child who perished in a school bus crash last Friday while returning from a field trip with his pre-K classmates from Tom Green Elementary School.
The fatal collision occurred when a cement truck struck the bus on State Highway 21, which led to the bus rolling over and consequently being hit by another vehicle. According to KENS 5, Montoya was among the 55 passengers on the bus, which included 44 young children. The crash also claimed the life of another adult, whose identity has yet to be released.
Teachers and family members are mourning the loss of Ulises, recalling his vibrant spirit and love for learning. "Ulises was a child who was filled with a lot of happiness and he often shared it with others," his pre-K bilingual teacher Naira "Dina" Solís Shears told mySA, "He could almost completely spell the word dinosaur, which demonstrates how smart he was. He always had a dinosaur drawn on all of the assignments he turned in."
As the community begins to grapple with the sorrow of such a young life lost, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support not only the Montoya family with funeral costs but also to generally assist those affected by the crash with their medical expenses. Hays CISD conveyed that Montoya's kin is overwhelmed by the outpouring of global support and are grateful for the comfort they've received, though they have asked for privacy during this difficult time.
Arrangements for Ulises's funeral and memorial services are currently being finalized. In the meantime, the child is being remembered for his enthusiastic spirit and his enduring love. "Above all – he was a loving child," said Naira Solís Shears, as cited by KENS 5, reflecting on the young soul taken too soon.
