HOUSTON — A 20-year-old woman died at the beach in Galveston this weekend -- her brother actually pulled her body out of the water.
The young woman’s name was Estrella Ramirez -- in Spanish it means star. As you can imagine, her siblings are devastated. They said they have lost their bright star and they're trying to raise funds to send Estrella’s body back to Honduras.
Family members said Estrella was a happy young woman with many dreams.
"Una joven muy alegre que a pesar de los problemas le gustaba sonreír. Siempre una sonrisa en su boca," her sister, Cintia Ramirez, said.
She was always smiling and her family said she was so innocent. Her favorite thing to do was to go to the beach and see the sunset or sunrise. Sadly, that's where her life ended.
"Yo la complací por que me dijo que quería ir a la playa," Manuel Ramirez said.
Her brother said Estrella asked him to go to the beach and he took her. After sunrise, they went into the water.
"Yo me fui al fondo y ella estaba en la orilla," Manuel said.
He said he was in deep water while she was standing closer to the shore.
"La ola a mi me tumbo pero cuando me levante vine para atrás ya no estaba estaba flotando," Manuel said.
He said a wave knocked him down, and when he got up and looked back, she was already floating.
"Logre sacarla como pude y le estaba dando respiración ya no tenia vida ella," Manuel said.
He pulled her to shore and started life-saving measures with the help of another bystander. Galveston Beach Patrol said Estrella was transported to the hospital but she didn't survive.
"Nosotros prometimos cuidarla y ahora se la vamos a devolver en un ataúd," Estrella's oldest sister, Wendy, said.
Two years ago, Estella left her mother behind in Honduras. Her oldest sister said they promised their mom they would care for her. But now, they are preparing to send her body back to Honduras in a casket.
Estrella arrived in Houston two years ago -- happy in search of the American Dream. And now her family's not just dealing with her loss. But also trying to find some help.
"What hurts the most is we are not prepared financially to give her a proper burial. That is why we are asking for help. Because we can't," Wendy said.
They want to send Estrella's body back to Honduras so their mother can say one last goodbye to their bright star they said who is now shining somewhere else.
There were red flag warnings in Galveston at the time but the family said they didn't see them because they arrived when it was dark.