'The Last 6 Months Have Been A Lot Of Pain': North Highlands Family Desperate To Sell Home After Fatal Car Crash Kills 4
NORTH HIGHLANDS (CBS13) — Four members of a North Highlands family were killed last November, by a wrong-way driver along Interstate 80 in the Sierra. The only survivor was their four-year-old son, Julian.
Now, relatives are trying to close the painful chapter by finally selling the Montano family home.
Brittney and Antonio Montano, and their two young children Marianna and Antonio Jr., were killed driving along I-80 through the Sierra after the family car was hit by a wrong-way driver.
"It's just still so unfair that any of this happened. Just knowing he's never going to see his parents again it's not right," said Michelle Gonzalez," Julian's aunt.
Julian was taken in by Michelle and his uncle, Anthony.
"He is one of the best things that happened to us," Anthony said.
After a devastating few months, Anthony is hoping to finally put the tragic past behind him.
"The last six months have been a lot of pain," he said. "We just want to let go of this chapter of our lives and move forward."
But it hasn't been easy.
"I don't think people realize how many things have to be done after a sudden death like this," Michelle said.
That includes selling the Montano family home. After months of red tape, it's finally in Anthony's name, which means they can finally list it. But in the meantime, they're strapped with two mortgages.
"It's definitely a financial hardship. We don't have any extra funds so we can't keep the house any longer," Michelle said.
The house will be officially listed the week of June 6 and the real estate agent is pricing it low on purpose.
"We're this close to having the house in foreclosure and we don't want that to happen," Michelle said.
The front window of the home was Julian's bedroom, and although the house will eventually sell, Michelle and Anthony say Julian's family is with him always.
"He says goodnight to his mom and dad and brother and sister every night," Michelle said.
"He's going to be taken care of the rest of his life," Anthony said.
While the home has remained empty, the Gonzalez family says they've struggled with trespassers and vandals, hoping when the home hits the market, they can finally get it off their hands.