The wife of a police officer in Texas, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2021 while off duty, finalized the adoption of their two sons and even changed their first names in honor of their late father.
Euless Police Department Detective Alex Cervantes died and his wife Priscilla and two sons were seriously injured when a driver hit them, Fox 4 reported. Priscilla said she has no recollection of the crash and spent days in a coma.
The Cervantes were in the process of adopting Priscilla’s cousins Jake, 12, and Joshua, 14, The boys’ parents were in and out of jail and had been staying with the Cervantes for a year and a half.
“It means the world to me,” Priscilla said. “It’s something that both my husband and I have wanted.”
Priscilla said the boys were worried about whether or not she would continue with the adoption process without her husband, but there was never a doubt in Priscilla’s mind that she was going to officially become their mom.
Joshua honored his late dad by legally changing his name to Alex Cervantes III, and Jake changed his name to Isaac.
The family was surrounded by loved ones.
“And I’m so honored that they’re going to be a part of our family, officially,” Cervantes said. “There’s still that part of me that feels like there’s a missing piece to our puzzle.”
Prior to getting behind the wheel, drunk driver Dylan Molina was seen on security footage stumbling behind the employee section of a bar, NBCDFW reported.
“It does bother me to see all that,” Priscilla Cervantes said. “But I mean, I can’t go back and take that day back. Neither can he.”
He was over-served eight alcoholic drinks in less than three hours by bartender Cala Richardson.
Molina pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter and three counts of intoxication assault and was sentenced last month to serve 15 years in prison. Richardson was charged with a Class A misdemeanor and faces up to one year behind bars and a $4,000 fine, police said.