IRMO, S.C. — A local restaurant chain is working to give one of their employees a proper burial.
19-year-old Benito Santiago died Monday, July 29, after his motorcycle crashed into an 18-wheeler on I-26.
"Benito was a great guy. Always smiling, always enthusiastic. I think he really enjoyed the interaction with the customers," said restaurant regular, Fred Leach, who spoke on behalf of the La Fogata family.
Santiago was a bus boy at La Fogata, and always went above and beyond to serve customers.
"When I told my sons that [Benito] had passed away, they reminded me that he would bring them refills on their drinks and whatnot if one of the other servers was busy on the other side of the restaurant," said Leach. "Benito was somebody we saw almost every day we came up here."
Now, employees are working to give Santiago a proper burial in his hometown in Mexico.
"Benito was the sole source of income for his mother and two younger siblings," said Leach. "He had a younger brother and younger sister. His father died when he was a young child in Mexico."
Employees are hoping to finance three things: Funeral home services in the United States, a flight back to Mexico for Santiago and funeral home services in Mexico in order to take his body to the cemetery.
Donation boxes are set up at the La Fogata locations in Irmo, Chapin and West Columbia.
"It's a tragic situation, and any help folks could offer would be a blessing," said Leach.
A GoFundMe page was also set up to help raise money. Click here for more information.