Mourners dwell not on girl's death but on her spirit
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HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. - Friends and family gathered Thursday to remember Angie Hernandez, the 11-year-old girl who died when she fell out of the window of a private bus.
It was just last weekend the family's little girl, who was so excited to go to her cousin's birthday party, was so suddenly taken from them.
And it was hard to imagine how they were able to get through the day, but it helped to have the incredible support from several hundred people who packed the church and overflowed out the doors. All of whom were touched by Angie's life.
In addition to not being enough room in the church, there wasn't enough time in the day for everyone to share why Angie was such a special girl.
Her mother and father found the strength to briefly speak to everyone in attendance and thank them for their support. But for a mother faced with the horrible fate of burying her own child, it was too painful to share happy memories.
"My heart is broken," she said through a translator.
As many tears as there were, the community and family made sure the service was not a time to dwell on Angie's tragic death; instead, it was a chance to celebrate her 11 years of life.
"She was such a great spirit, and honestly if you had the chance to even talk to her once, you were the luckiest person in the world, because there wasn't one day when she wouldn't smile, even when she was mad," said Aylin Salas Lara, Angie's cousin and the girl whose birthday they were celebrating that tragic night.
Angie's pictures covered the church along with notes from her friends and other children who knew her and didn't have a chance to say goodbye.
But during the service some friends and family took comfort in believing that while Angie is no longer here, her spirit is very much alive and watching over them from heaven.
In a program handed out at the service, her family left everyone with a poem, asking them to celebrate her life. In part it reads, "You can remember her and only that she is gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on."
The federal government is now investigating Five Star Limousine, the company in charge of the party bus Angie was on. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking into its safety practices.
KATU News discovered earlier this week Five star Limousine did not have permits to operate in the city of Portland, and the driver didn't have the proper driver's license. We also learned that the company has a history of operating vehicles without the proper permits and had been warned and fined in the past.
Such a cute girl, and a tragic event. Everyone who has read this will hug their child a little closer, as life is too fleeting.
The facts are facts, the parents are negligent not supervising under age children on a bus and leaving roughly 20 with a bus driver. Permits and paperwork would not prevent the negligence of the parents. Facts are facts. Child Services should be looking into this. Why were all those kids left unattended?
 @peterdope Shut up, its not like they wanted it to happen. Get yourself a life and quit bringing grief to the family.
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Facts are facts, things happen to everyone every day of our life. I am sure that the parents are wondering why we went with that company. As a business owner, we must take responsibility for our own action and the action that causes harm. The facts are the facts, the bus should have never been on the road, the facts are the facts, the driver should not have been driving the bus and the facts are the facts, the company needs to be held accountable. Start from the start, not in the middle and not at the end.
 @Eyebag You working for the family's attorney? Go ahead and say it -- "rest in peace, cha-ching".
I have to agree with a couple of comments on here. If there had been adult on the party bus supervising the kids maybe this would not have happen, if the little girl had kept her butt in her seat this would not have happen. Blaming the driver or the bus company is a poor excuse for the parents lack of brains. Shame on the parents, they are the ones who are at fault here.
 @onceagain I don't see the parents blaming the bus company for anything at this point. How in the world do you know that they aren't blaming themselves??? Shame on YOU for passing judgment and not showing more compassion.Â
@gofigure @onceagain . Oh money will be coming. Keep on eye on this one Go figure..
I'm probably going to get alot of serious **** for  what I'm about to say, but I don't care. First of all, I'm sorry that a little girl died. Right now it doesn't matter what color, religion, or whatever she was, it doesn't matter. However, the bus company was hired for one reason and one reason only. To provide transportation to this party, not to be a nanny to watch over a little girl. That responsibility belongs the parents and to the adults that were in charge. To that effect the bus company should not have to pay SQUAT to the family. I hear they are trying to help the family out which, if they want to is fine. However, I feel they are not obligated to pay any monetary damages in this sad situaton. Had it been a collision or something the driver did it would be a different story. All it had to take was an adult to say "HEY, SIT DOWN"!! and we wouldn't be here discussing this now.
 @JLO The bus company never stated that there needed to be adults included so calm down. It was just a bunch of kids trying to have fun... not die. Nobodies asking for anything from them, so shush. Im pretty sure if you went through the same, you would rage and do whatever you could to create justice.
 @JLO As a truck driver I am responsible for the cargo I haul. I have to ensure that it is secure before driving down the road. Aren't 'qualified' bus drivers subjected to the same standards? I'm sure there are rear view mirrors in buses that allow the bus driver to see if his 'cargo' is secured. If not, then the first action is to stop the vehicle and secure it before continuing. In this case, laying down some ground rules would be an act of securing the load.
 @str1ngb3nd3r  @JLO Does your cargo include 20+ children under the age of 16, in downtown Portland where you have to watch for 100 people walking the streets and bicyclists every 5 feet? By the way what kind of cargo do you haul? Boxes, chickens in a cage, apples?
"KATU News discovered earlier this week Five star Limousine did not have permits to operate in the city of Portland, and the driver didn't have the proper driver's license."
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Why are the focusing on the paperwork? The paperwork had nothing to do with this incident.
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Somehow she was allowed to lean on the emergency window and fall out. There is only one way that could happen. She was standing up on the seat or sitting on top of the seat back. Why was this allowed?
I have buried a child it is the hardest thing you will ever do in your life time. It is so sad when a child is taken at such a young age. Prayers to the family of this young lady.........
 @granny4life I appreciate your sensitive post; there seem to be very few of us here who understand what these parents are going through.Â
@gofigure ..They wouldn't be going through it if they weren't partying it up at home..and watching their children instead. They need to be held accountable for the loss of a young life..shame on them.