Balloon release, memorial planned for Fort Myers Texas Roadhouse teen crash victims

After five teenagers died in a retention pond south of Colonial Boulevard and west of I-75 when their car crashed into the water, dozens have visited the crash site. They've left flowers next to the road and erected a cross in the sticky mud where the car entered the water.

Still more have lit candles, prayed and piled flowers high in tribute to them at the Fort Myers Texas Roadhouse less than two minutes away, where some of them worked.

And a balloon release and memorial will take place Thursday night in front of the restaurant, to honor their lives and help their friends and loved ones heal. The event is open to the public.

Tuesday, Fort Myers Police released the names of the teens who died: Eric Paul, 19; Jackson Eyre, 18; Amanda Ferguson, 18; Breanna Coleman, 18; and Jesus Salinas, 18.

Four of the five teens worked at the Texas Roadhouse at 8021 Dani Dr., alternating between the host station and the to-go station. They had worked alongside each other for years, and had formed a tight-knit group who took trips together, bowled together, baked cakes together, and even shared their Life360 locations with each other.

Salinas worked at Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, but routinely hung out with the Texas Roadhouse employees.

Friend Thalia DeLeon visited the crash site Tuesday along with several other coworkers and friends mourning the loss. Sitting on a serape blanket on the steep embankment next to the pond where the teens died, she said she checked their locations on the app every night before she went to bed.

"I (usually) don't go to bed until I see that their location is at home. ... It'll say Amanda arrived at 'crackhouse' and I would be like okay, I can go to bed now that Bre's at 'cribalicious' or Jackson's at 'ho house' or Eric's at 'the jungle,'" DeLeon said, smiling at the goofy names the friends had written on the app for their homes.

"I know that they're safe and sound in their beds."

The night of the crash, DeLeon watched them leave work on the app and, satisfied, went to bed. When she woke up the next morning to 20 missed calls and more than a dozen text messages asking if she knew where they were, she checked the app, she said. It was all grayed out.

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"When I realized they were dead I looked up at the moon and was just crying. I want them back," said DeLeon. "It was just the most amazing ... friend group anyone ever could have. The memories, the laughs, the arguments, the fighting, just everything about it was something someone should experience in their lifetime."

"They had the most beautiful souls I have ever come across," added Jazlynn Rodriguez, a friend, coworker and Eric Paul's girlfriend. "They all left me with a warmer heart. They made me become a better person."

In particular, she said, she would never forget her bond with Paul, who made a lasting impression on her and her family. "I will never forget my sweet, handsome Eric," Rodriguez said. "But I'm very grateful for them. Each and every one of them will always have a piece of my heart."

Texas Roadhouse will also donate directly to the funeral homes to help cover the costs of the funerals for all five teens. Although Jesus did not work at Texas Roadhouse, "we're looking at Jesus as an honorary Roadie for life," said Texas Roadhouse market partner Alan Hansen.

The funds will come from Texas Roadhouse's donation fund Andy's Outreach. Funded in 2005, the nonprofit is fully volunteer and employee-funded. Donations come directly from employee paychecks and cannot exceed $5 a paycheck; the funds go to help employees facing hardship such as illness or disaster.

When Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers, Hansen said, the company made a donation to employees affected by the disaster to help them get through the storm recovery.

The Roadhouse is also accepting donations from the public, that it will pass on directly to the families of the teens.

The restaurant will close to patrons Thursday at 8 p.m. to give employees the opportunity to attend the memorial and balloon release. The event will be held in front of the restaurant, beginning at 9 p.m. All are welcome to share memories and participate in the release, Hansen said.

Balloon release and memorial

• When? Thursday, June 29, 9 p.m.

• Where? Texas Roadhouse at 8021 Dani Dr. in Fort Myers

• What? Friends, family and the public is invited to share memories and stories celebrating the lives of Eric Paul, Jackson Eyre, Amanda Ferguson, Breanna Coleman and Jesus Salinas. A balloon release is planned to cap off the memorial.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Texas Roadhouse memorial Thursday for victims in fatal Topgolf crash