CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Nov. 27, the life of 17-year-old Michael Quintero was taken on Corpus Christi's southside. The next day, Michael's family held a public vigil to relive their favorite memories of him.
"He loved music," said Jennifer Carrillo, Michael's aunt. "Every time he got in the car, he wanted to be in charge of the radio."
"Kind, sweet, respectful, giving, an awesome person," said Maria Carrillo, Michael's grandma.
Even through unbearable pain, Quintero's family hopes that other teenagers can learn from their tragedy.
"Friends are not really friends," Carrillo said. "People out there can deceive you and be jealous of what you have and it can hurt you in the long run."
They said losing Michael reminded them to cherish every moment because at any time, it can all be taken away.
"If your parents are hard on you, it's for a reason," Carrillo said. "Too many young children in our community are dying, getting murdered or getting hurt."
Michael's family said they just learned that he left a piece of himself behind. They said Michael's girlfriend is two months pregnant.
"I just found out last night and he's very secretive because we told him 'no kids, no babies, you're not ready' And I found out," said Janette Lopez, Michael's aunt.
"We're happy about it because that's a part of our nephew and we have a part of him here with us," Carrillo added.
The person responsible for his death is still unknown. His family is asking the community for their help in bringing him justice.
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