'Everyone Was Just So Touched By His Life': Mourners In Paterson Remember 18-Year-Old Robert Cuadra
PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Mourners gathered in Paterson on Thursday at a wake for an 18-year-old honors student.
Wearing pendants with the photo of Robert Cuadra and holding hands, sisters Alexandra Santiago and Keyra Jimenez remembered their late nephew.
"Everyone was just so touched by his life. I think that the one takeaway that we can always take from him was that his presence made all of our lives better," Santiago told CBS2's Thalia Perez.
His wake was held at the Scillieri-Arnold funeral home. Dozens of family and friends were seen filing inside.
"I've seen his preschool teachers coming, like all throughout elementary school. The students that he was taking the Upward Bound program came, the director of the program," Santiago said.
Cuadra, who was a senior at HARP Academy, was excited to attend Montclair State University on a scholarship in the fall. Santiago says it was his hard work and humble, selfless spirit that left a lasting impression on everyone who crossed his path.
But life had other plans. On Jan. 19, he was caught in the crossfire when two groups of men opened fire. His family says he was unloading groceries from the car for his grandma in front of 130 Godwin Ave. around 6:30 p.m.
Three teenagers -- 18-year-old Kahaz Heron, 19-year-old Jahed Jones and 19-year-old Jaquin Williams -- were all arrested. They are facing multiple charges including first-degree murder.
"One thing about Robert was if you asked him to do something, it wasn't, 'Oh, can I wait a minute?' It was right away. He does what he needs to do for his family, and that day showed exactly who he was," Santiago said.
CBS2's Thalia Perez contributed to this report.
