On December 15th 2024, Daniel (44), his wife Jennifer (45), and their three children, Emma (19), Madeleynn (16), and Matthew (14) were on their way to Our Lady of the Assumption Church. When crossing Lander Avenue, located on the south of Turlock, their vehicle was struck by driver Uriel Guizar-Negrete. The Lourencos were driving in their 2023 Jeep SUV, while Guizar-Negrete was driving in a 2008 Infiniti Sedan. Guizar-Negrete wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, meanwhile everyone in the Jeep was. It’s still unknown if drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash.
Both Daniel and Jennifer sustained major, and sadly fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene. Madelynn was sitting in the rear left of the Jeep. She was taken to Doctors Medical Center where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Emma and Matthew were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Over the span of a couple days, multiple brain scans were run on Matthew, but he unfortunately showed no signs of activity. They donated his organs to 5 recipients so that others can have a chance in life.
Emma has spent her time in the hospital and is facing a long and hard recovery. She suffered a severe brain injury and will require long term intensive care and rehabilitation. She is now out of a coma and can breathe on her own. She was moved out of the ICU but still remains in intensive care, and will likely for a while.
Jason McClelland, brother of Jennifer Lourenco, posted on Facebook stating,
“Fortunately, she is showing really good signs so far – when she is awake, she is able to respond to basic commands from the nursing staff, and she is able to move her fingers and toes in both hands and feet, although her left side is much less responsive than the right. These are good signs that she still has at least basic connectivity to build on for the longer term… She is still mostly non-verbal, and we don’t know how much she knows or recognizes what she’s been through, where she is, etc., which is probably a gift in the short-term so she doesn’t have to try and process the terrible tragedy that happened to her and the rest of her family until her body is in a better place to try and begin that process.”
Matthew and Mady were students who attended and were loved by the Pitman Community. Their losses leave us saddened, but they are not forgotten. Matthew was described to be as a joyful, upbeat, and pure soul. There was never a dull moment shared with him. He could make anyone smile and lift the spirits anywhere, anytime. Without a doubt he would make sure everyone was okay before himself. Madelynn was a loving, cheerful, and energetic girl. She had the heart of an angel and was willing to help anyone. She always walked with a smile and radiated positivity to everyone around her. Getting the opportunities to call them our friends was a blessing.
A visitation for them was held on December 26, 2024 from 6pm to 8pm at the Turlock Funeral Home. The funeral was held December 27, 2024. Roughly 2000 people had attended the funeral, leaving no room to sit. This tragic loss doesn’t just leave a hole in the family, but the community. The family has a GoFundMe set up for donations to support the Lourenco Family. Anything helps.
It’s a heartbreaking and terrible loss for both families as we continue to keep them in our prayers. As well we all continue to pray for a positive outcome towards Emma’s recovery. The community hopes those who were lost all rest peacefully. We will remember the Lourencos and what light they brought to us all.
A Beautiful Tribute — by Mrs. Hall
On Friday, January 10th Principal Freeman emailed Pitman staff about a very touching tribute for the Lourenco family. Community member and business owner Katie Zaccheo reached out to Mrs. Freeman stating that she wanted to donate a bench to be installed on Pitman’s campus in remembrance of Daniel, Jen, Mady, and Matthew Lourenco. Several Pitman staffers expressed interest in donating money to help with the cost of the bench. Within two weeks the entire cost of the bench had been covered by staff donations.
The metal bench will be made by Pitman’s Ag Welding team and it will have an accompanying plaque that says: Lourenco Family and the year of their passing, 2024. Although the date of completion—and the location of its installation—are unclear, it will be a wonderful reminder of their impact on our campus.