$16K Raised For Family Of Joliet Teen Killed In Sunday Crash

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet community, along with other donors from across the country, has raised over $16,000 for the family of Juan Pablo Salazar, the man killed in a Sunday evening crash on Joliet's Cass Street Bridge.

Juan Pablo was only 19 years old when a car crash took his life in the area of the Evergreen Terrace complex near the intersection of Western Avenue and Bluff Street in Joliet.

His cousin, Ana Salazar of Bolingbrook, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the victim's family cover the expenses resulting from his death.

"In 20 hours, I reached my goal," Ana told Patch. "It's now at $16,200. What else can I say other than I am so thankful and blessed."

To his friends, the young man was known as "Juan Pablo the Bull Rider."

"His mom was mentioning to me yesterday that he would say 'Mom, I’m so popular because everyone sees that I bullride'," Ana said. "He would say a bad word — 'chingón' — that he was badass. 'I’m a badass, mom.'"

Hard work and years of practice paid off for Juan Pablo, who amassed a collection of first-place belt buckles from his competitions.

"That was his passion, being a bull rider and riding horses," Ana said. "Basically in his summers, his spare time, that’s where he would be at: practicing with his team."

Ana said her cousin started riding around the age of 15, something that concerned his family because it was a dangerous hobby.

"I personally never had the courage to watch him to do that," she said. "I would just be so scared because anything could happen."

But, Juan Pablo was more than just a chingón on horseback. Ana described him as "a happy person, always smiling."

"He loved a lot," she said. "He loved his mom. His mom was a single mom. It was just him, his mom and his two sisters. His mom was his all."

As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe campaign had raised $16,285, surpassing its $15,000 goal.

"It means a lot for my uncle," she said. "I know for his mom and for my uncle, it has been a lot of support. And, it’s still going, still raising money."

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