Former student killed by alleged drunk driver

“She was smart and funny. She always wanted to help people,” said Cynthia Rodriguez, a staff assistant at the Fine and Performing Arts Department, about Ana Maria Ramirez, a communication major who was killed in an automobile accident in late January.Ramirez, 21, was in San Antonio when an alleged drunk driver struck the vehicle in which she traveled.”This person decided to drink a lot and drive as fast as he could and slam into (Ana and her friend Genoveve) while they were at the red light,” said Gabriela Ramirez, Ana’s sister-in-law, to the Laredo Morning Times.”It was a shock for all of us,” stated Rodriguez, who worked with Ramirez last semester at the Fine and Performing Arts Department. “Never drink and drive because you never know the tragic consequences of getting behind the wheel. It changes the lives of many others.”Eugene Ruiz, a university electrician who knew Ramirez, shared the same sentiments as Rodriguez.”A young life was taken away by the hands of a drunk driver. The sad part is that it happens everyday. People drink and drive. I just hope that [people] understand how important life is and how important it is not to drink and drive,” said Ruiz.”At first we thought, it can’t be Ana. There has to be another Ana Ramirez,” said Rodriguez.She explained that Ramirez, an Eagle Pass native who was described as always having a smile, went to live with her sister and transferred to the University of Texas in San Antonio and hoped to return to TAMIU in the summer. Rodriguez said that Ramirez was a bit apprehensive about moving to San Antonio, but friends and co-workers reassured her that everything would work out.According to her former co-workers, Ramirez went out with them one last time before she left Laredo to a restaurant called Heaven’s Café.Bianca Chou, a student employee at the Fine and Performing Arts Department, recalled that Ramirez gave out bracelets and other tiny gifts to co-workers at the gathering.Noe Benavides, another former co-worker, remembered the “silly and sweet stuff” that Ramirez did. “One time, Ana ‘googled’ Google,” he said.”She was doing homework and wanted to get to the Google site, which she was at, but she didn’t know,” said Rodriguez. “She then typed Google on Google. We teased her about it, but she didn’t mind. She knew how to laugh at herself.”Others also described Ramirez’s easygoing and friendly attitude.”She knew how to take a joke,” said Pedro Cortez, a friend and former co-worker. “She was a girl you could easily get along with. She wasn’t shy; she was outgoing.”Cortez iss saddened by her death, but is glad to have known her. “Ana was a very wonderful person whom I never saw mad or down. She was always very cheerful,” stated Samuel Cantu, a former TAMIU student and Eagle Pass native.In addition to her kind disposition, Ramirez’s hardworking and humble nature came through to many people.”She was good at taking corrections if she made a mistake,” explained Rodriguez. “If she had problems with her classes, she tried hard and persevered.”Ramirez’s personality shined on all those who knew her.”Sadly, it’s like a light went out,” said Rodriguez, “but I feel that I learned from her. I want to adopt certain attributes from her like her humble and giving spirit.”Rodriguez hopes other students will learn from Ana’s incident and avoid drinking and driving.Ramirez’s sister-in-law shared the same feelings and told the Laredo Morning Times, “People don’t understand what drinking and driving does…There is nothing we can do that is going to bring [Ana] back.”