Have you ever wondered how you want people to remember you? Or what kind of an impact you leave behind? People overlook this topic because they never expect unfortunate things to happen to them let alone others. Unfortunately, for the Vega Family this became a true reality on August 26th, 2022.

My best friend, Isaac Vega, 17, tragically lost his cousin Angelica “Angie” Vega, 22 on the evening of August 26th, 2022. This date will be remembered for the remainder of this family’s lives. Angie was working the closing shift at her aunt and uncle’s juice shop “Noco Nutrition,” where she was tragically attacked and murdered. Though this event was very traumatic for the Vega Family and the Greeley community, I am not here to talk about how she died and her life after death, but more or so how she lived life and how she will be remembered, and how her presence will and has impacted all of Greeley.

Angelica Vega, commonly known by friends and family as “Angie” was a 22 year old woman, native to Greeley, Colorado. Angie graduated from Northridge High School, and was working at the no longer existing “ Noco Nutrition” owned by her aunt and uncle, this was Angie’s first real job and she worked there for about a year. Isaac Vega, Angie’s cousin was deeply affected by the tragic incident as well as other friends and family, and would like for me to share his perspective on what happened. 

Isaac Vega asked me to share these sentiments:

“There’s no single word that I can put together to describe Angie because she was one of the most genuine, most loving, kind hearted type of person that you could come across, she was a one of a kind and a person who touched many and loved hard. The day we lost Angie felt like time stopped moving….it felt like a dream, when I got the call after countless hours of waiting and unanswered questions my brother was able to break the news to me and in that moment that I heard “she’s not with us anymore Isaac” I felt like something had been ripped out of my chest. I’m not the type of person to show emotion, so it was hard for me to process what had happened.

The only words that came out of my mouth were ‘you’re lying.’ Being surrounded by the silence of family members and followed by teardrops running down the side of my cheek, I looked at my aunt, Angie’s stepmom; and shook my head. I also didn’t know how fast things would move; one day, I’m getting told my cousin was murdered, then the following week I’m at her funeral, then the next thing you know, I’m in a courtroom facing the man who took a precious life. Everyone goes their own ways, and all we take home is our grief and yet there’s always those little questions about “what if” that will make you go crazy at times.

I always tell myself Angie was a happy person who wouldn’t want you to hurt and that’s when I realized it’s okay to not be okay. I regret not letting out those tears as I looked over her casket, and I think keeping that in had to have  been the worst thing I’ve done, but I remind myself how lucky I am to have created a special bond with such an amazing person. Though I will never have the chance to see her again and all I have left is our memories, I wish I could sit in front of her and thank her for everything and for allowing me to look up to her kindness. I promise to somehow carry on her legacy by touching others the way she touched her friends and family, my dear Angie, I love you and I hope to see you again one day and I miss you dearly.”