Relatives and friends are mourning the death of a Keizer man known for his passion for basketball and his family.

Didier Lair Fuentes, 26, died on Sunday, Oct. 26, in a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 5 at Woodburn.

The scope of his community connection was apparent in the response to a Gofundme campaign launched by his family, which raised more than $20,000 in just days.

“My brother was well known for his personality,” said Giovanni Fuentes, one of his brothers. “He had charisma. You would meet him for 30 seconds and he would become your best friend in those 30 seconds. He made a lot of great friends. A lot of people loved being around him.”

Fuentes was the oldest of six children, a family that grew to eight siblings. He was raised in Woodburn, where he graduated from high school after playing varsity basketball. His parents divorced and Fuentes helped with the younger brothers and sisters.

“We all looked at my brother as our second dad,” Giovanni said.

After high school, he continued playing basketball, often in tournaments.

“That’s how a lot of people know him – because of his basketball skills,” said his sister, Brianna Fuentes.

She said he worked in construction but had recently been laid off.

Though not married, he had a daughter, now 7, that he loved, Giovanni said.

He said the death hit especially hard for the youngest of the family, Anthony Fuentes. Giovanni said his older brother coached Anthony, who has played varsity basketball for McNary High School. A senior, he also is a varsity soccer player, serving as goalkeeper.

“He was the motor of our family,” Giovanni said of his brother.

He had been visiting their father and his friends in Woodburn the day of the crash and was on his way home to Keizer. He planned dinner with friends.

The Oregon State Police said the accident happened as Fuentes attempted to merge his vehicle into freeway traffic at the Woodburn interchange. The agency said in a press release that Fuentes pulled into the path of a commercial truck, which jackknifed. The truck then hit a vehicle driven by Jeff. D. Peterson of Keizer. Peterson and the truck driver weren’t injured, police said.

A funeral service was scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3, in Woodburn, followed by burial in Belle Passe Cemetery.

As of Monday, 379 people had contributed $24,240 to the fundraising campaign.

“I was very shocked and very blessed and very thankful for that gofundme,” Giovanni said. “We reached our goal very fast.”

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