'He turned into a brother for all of us': Crash victim Jesus Salinas remembered for positivity

Positive, energetic, and possessing the ability to light up those around him are just some traits that describe Jesus Aaron Salinas.

"He's had one of the biggest impacts on me within a short amount of time that I knew him, he turned into a brother for all of us," said Edward Regalado Gallegos, 17. "He would always be there for me, and I had his back and he had mine."

Salinas, 18, was a recent Lehigh Senior High School graduate; a sign celebrating his graduation in 2023 remains outside his family's home.

Salinas was one of the five teenagers lost in a tragic accident on June 25 after their car crashed into a retention pond on Topgolf Way in Fort Myers, causing an entire community to mourn the loss.

On Friday, Fort Myers Police Department identified Salinas as the driver.

Gallegos said he only knew Salinas since January, but they grew close quickly, talking and hanging out almost every day.

He described Salinas as someone you can definitely rely during good and bad times.

"He would always tell me the positive things about what I should do, and I always follow it and it got me here," Gallegos said. "He was always there for everything, I'm talking about no matter what: boring, fun, whatever it was, he was just there."

Salinas never had to force a smile, he was just genuinely happy to interact with anyone, according to Gallegos.

"Jesus was always happy, always laughing, literally like his jokes would just make everything 10 times funnier, and Jesus was an amazing person," said Yair Cruz, 18, a friend. "Anybody that got to know him would say that."

Gallegos said Salinas enjoyed rap music.

"I make music and he always liked my music, but he liked more of Detroit (Rap), like Rio Da Yung OG, Baby BabyTron," he said.

Salinas wanted to lead a successful life, take his loved ones with him and planned to attend Fort Myers Technical College and become an electrician.

"We were gonna go to the same school, so we could both be successful in whatever we're doing; he's gonna do electrical and I was gonna do plumbing," Gallegos said. "He wanted to start a company together, so we can be both successful."

Unlike the rest of the victims, he did not work at Texas Roadhouse on 8021 Dani Drive in Fort Myers but worked at Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen in Fort Myers since November.

"Everyone at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is saddened by the tragic accident that claimed the life of Jesus and his four friends. He was a valued team member who will be missed by all of us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and everyone else who has been impacted by this unimaginable tragedy," said Cindy Hogg, general manager of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, in an email statement.

Salinas was the boyfriend of Breanna Cecille Coleman, who also died in the crash.

"He was the type of person that even though we were friends with his girlfriend, he never made us feel like we were ever like third-wheeling or fourth-wheeling, he always made it (feel) like we were truly just like a group," Izabella Escobedo, a friend of the teenagers, told The News-Press.

Thalia DeLeon, another friend of all the teens, told The News-Press that Salinas and Coleman enjoyed building Lego sets together.

Escobedo described the friend group as something out of a movie, which included movie nights, going out to eat, and even baking cakes.

"There were only four of us, we just split it into four sides and we all decorated a side of the cake," Escobedo said. "Jesus did a little Pokemon."

She will remember the group's time together and feels for the families.

"We all lost five of our best friends," Escobedo said. "I feel so sorry for the families that just lost their babies, I can't even imagine what they are going through."

A Gofundme has been set up by Jesus's mother asking for donations to cover funeral expenses. Texas Roadhouse also expects to help with the expenses of the five with proceeds from meals this week.

Jesus Salinas

Born: September 20, 2004.

Lived: Lehigh Acres

School: Graduated from Lehigh Senior High School, where he was part of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.

Future Plans: He was going to attend Fort Myers Technical College and become an electrician.

If you have more information to share about Jesus Salinas, please reach Luis at Lzambrano@gannett.com.

News-Press reporter Samantha Neely contributed to this report.

Naples Daily News reporter Kate Cimini contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers crash: Jesus Salinas remembered as positive, energetic