Father and Daughter Dealing With Tragedy

Five months after seven family members died in a motor-home explosion during a trip to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the La Puente father and teen-age daughter who survived are slowing coming to grips with their physical and emotional scars.

“I guess it’s getting easier,” said Rosie Garcia, 14, who was critically burned in the accident. “Most of the time I feel sad in the afternoon. My dad always tells me, ‘Oh I wish I could see them one more time.’ ”

Rosie’s father, Jose, 38, escaped with minor injuries, as did a family friend. Jose Garcia pulled his daughter from the burning vehicle but was unable to save the others.

Despite initial reluctance, Garcia and his daughter are moving back to the newly remodeled family home in La Puente.

“I decided I don’t want to sell this house,” he said. “I want to savor some memory of my family. I like to think of where my kids used to be playing. They used to make a lot of noise.”