Bride-to-be planned to marry at Fort Worth church. Her funeral will be there Friday
Michelle Guevara planned to marry Alan Torres on Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Fort Worth.
Instead, Guevara’s family and friends will be at her funeral Friday at the same Fort Worth church.
Guevara, 23, died Sunday from injuries after her car was hit by a suspected intoxicated driver earlier this month. Her 16-year-old cousin also was seriously injured in the crash, which occurred on the afternoon of Sept. 5.
A 29-year-old Fort Worth man was arrested and faces charges in the case.
Guevara was out that day shopping for shoes for her wedding.
“She was just five blocks from home,” said Carol Guevara, her mother, in a telephone interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Thursday. “She just needed those shoes.”
Police responded to the major accident about 4 p.m. on Sept. 5.
Police arrested Juan Manuel Lopez, who also was injured in the crash at Mansfield Highway and Wichita Street in southeast Fort Worth. The suspect is believed to have run at least one red light at a high rate of speed before he crashed his car into Michelle Guevara’s vehicle, police said.
Lopez was charged with two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle/serious bodily injury on Sept. 8, according to Tarrant County criminal court records. With Guevara’s death, one of the charges will be upgraded, authorities said.
“My family has just wanted to let others know as to what happens with drunken drivers,” said Nicholas Guevara, Michelle Guevara’s brother, on Thursday.
Guevara’s 16-year-old cousin, Anubis Acosta, remained in a local hospital Thursday as Guevara’s family have been trying to get her mother to Texas from Mexico.
The family says the teen’s mother applied for a humanitarian visa to visit her daughter but was denied at the border.
Michelle Guevara and Torres were scheduled to be married at 4 p.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 4100 Blue Mound Road.
Their testimony on their wedding website painted a romantic life for the two: “You know how people don’t really think they’ll meet anyone meaningful on dating apps? Well, it went the other way for us. We bonded over Strawberry Lemonade Vodkas & A$AP Rocky, and after four short hours, we knew. We had just met our forevers.”
But the couple had made a special request: “No phones during the ceremony. Though we’d love and appreciate your photography skills, please save them for the reception. Thank you.”
Michelle Guevara was born in Fort Worth on Jan. 26, 1999, to Nicholas and Carolina Guevara, grew up in Godley and live in Cleburne.
She attended the Godley school district through 10th grade and graduated Cleburne High School in 2017. She also attended Texas State Technical College for one semester and Purdue for one semester, according to her obituary.
She was a home health caregiver for five years, working in different homes assisting elderly clients.
Guevara was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
“She made frequent mini getaways with her brothers, parents, fiance and friends to ‘unwind,’ have a good time and enjoy life.,” according to her obituary. “She also enjoyed weekends at the lake, quick trips to Colorado, day trips to the Gulf Coast and any opportunity to get away and have fun.”
A rosary is from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday in Mount Olivet Chapel, 2301 N. Sylvania Ave. in Fort Worth.. Visitation will be from 6:45 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Mount Olivet Chapel.
Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 4100 Blue Mound Road. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
.She is survived by her parents, Carolina and Nicholas Guevara; brothers, Mark-Anthony and Nicholas Guevara; and sister Gabrielle Inez Guevara.
This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 12:48 PM.
