A week after her 8-year-old son was killed in a crash along Highway 114 in Wise County, a Roma mother is calling on the state to make changes she believes could prevent another tragedy.
Her son, Matteo Rodriguez, was walking home from school last Thursday and was riding in the passenger seat with his grandmother when their vehicle was struck at the intersection of Highway 114 and Roma Union Boulevard, also known as County Road 4841.
Wise County EMS said the vehicle was turning when the accident occurred and the grandmother could not see a three-quarter-ton truck. The truck hit the passenger side, striking Mateo.
The second grade student at Prairie View Elementary School in the Northwest Independent School District lost her pulse at the scene.
First responders were able to revive him and airlifted him to Cook Children’s Medical Center. However, Mateo died during the flight.
“I was shocked at first,” his mother said. “I was like, no. Don’t say that.”
She said Mateo’s grandmother immediately blamed herself.
“She said, ‘I killed your son,'” Mateo’s mother said. “She blamed herself from the beginning.”
Now, Mateo’s mother is pushing for change at the intersection where her son was killed. She started a Change.org petition calling on the Texas Department of Transportation to install traffic signals at busy intersections. As of this week, the petition has collected more than 9,000 signatures.
When asked if traffic lights would make a difference, she didn’t hesitate.
“Yes,” she said. “Totally. All my heart.”
WFAA contacted TxDOT about the incident but has not yet received a response.
Mateo’s mother was a kindergarten teacher at his elementary school. She said her last moments with him were simple and happy.
A student gave her a little ladybug stuffed animal, and Mateo was happy to take it home.
“I told him, remember you have ladybugs,” she said. “Put it in your backpack so we can bring it back tomorrow. He was happy when he left.”
After Matteo died, she noticed something was holding her back.
“When I entered the ward, he had ladybugs hanging from his shoulders,” she said. “Ladybug came back to me, but not to him.”
Mateo, her youngest child, was born after she had a miscarriage.
“They tore a part of my heart out,” she said. “I won’t be able to see my kids graduate.”
Despite her grief, she said she will continue to push for change in the hope that Mateo’s story will spark action and save lives.
“I don’t want another family to go through this,” she said.