The tornado that hit Garland the day after Christmas claimed another life this weekend.
Leonardo Mota, 35, was driving home from work on Dec. 26 when the storm blew his truck off the road on Interstate 30. Mota called his wife to tell her he was coming home, but he never made it back.
"He said it's dark over here, but I'm on my way. He said I'll be there by 9:30," said Leo's wife, Maria Mota, through a translator. "I waited for him, but he never showed up."
Mota looked for her husband on I-30, but did not find him. A family member discovered he was at a hospital in Plano the next morning.
According to his GoFundMe page, Mota suffered severe brain trauma and had been on life support since the crash that happened two weeks ago.
His brother confirmed that Mota died Friday evening at Medical Center of Plano.
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"He never opened his eyes. I never got the chance to talk to him again," said Mota. "I wanted to thank him for everything that he had done for our family and give him one last kiss."
Leo Mota and his employee, Antonio Jose Oviedo Juarez, 19, were in the vehicle.
Juarez also passed away.
Mota is survived by his wife and four children. A vigil will be held at Williams Funeral Directors in Garland on Monday evening.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses and medical bills.
