According to reports from the Press Democrat, Hugo Ramirez, 21, was struck and killed by a moving vehicle on July 5 while crossing the street adjacent to Sonoma State University campus. His tragic passing has since inspired a scholarship fund in his name to preserve his legacy as a member of the Seawolf community.
Hugo “Hugs” Ramirez was a member of the Men’s soccer team here at SSU in 2019 and was also on the Dean’s List last semester, Spring 2021. He was also a fourth year senior in the business program and was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business financial management.
Hugo was crossing the street on the southern side of East Cotati Ave. when he was hit near the center median. The car was driven by Ronald Gaither, 19, who, after striking Ramirez, drove further down the road before pulling into a neighborhood and contacting local police.
While unsure of the details and specifics of the event, the police did forensic downloads of both Ramirez’s and Gaither’s devices to try and find anything that might point to why the crash happened in the first place. No new information has been released.
The Hugo Ramirez Scholarship Fund began as a way to help fund the funeral but has since grown into something greater. Kathleen Mazolewki started a GoFundMe on behalf of Rosemarie Ramirez and the Ramirez family. GoFundMe.com is a crowdsourcing platform that allows anyone to accept donations ranging from fundraisers, memorials, nonprofits, and education. As of Monday, the page has $47,100 in donations and is growing every single day. The page pivoted from a funeral fund to a scholarship fund on August 1.
“We want Hugo to continue making an impact. So we have decided to continue collecting donations to create a scholarship fund in his name.” This, along with a statement from the organizer, was posted to the page to change the direction of the Scholarship Fund.
Comments on the page range from prayers of peace and love to affirmations of his smile and to the light that he brought with him wherever he went.
Coach Marcus Zeiler of the men’s soccer team said, “He was a great kid, a hard worker, and loved playing soccer. Everyone really liked him. I was really sad about what happened to him and it is still kind of hard to believe.”
A public comment on the GoFundMe page from a donator named Naia Smith read, “Hugo, you chose to be the very best version of yourself and everyone loves and admires you for that. You were a happy young man with the spirit of Aloha and that’s how I’ll always remember you.”
Upon further inspection of Ramirez’s Instagram, it is clear through his feed that there were three things that Ramirez cared for: his family, his sport, and remembering to smile. There were many more comments like Smith’s that cherished his always-smiling attitude and demeanor.
While Ramirez will surely be missed by many, those who knew him can find comfort in seeing how his memory lives on and continues to serve others through the scholarship fund. Those wishing to donate to the fund can do so at GoFundMe.com by searching “Hugo Ramirez Scholarship Fund.”
