OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) - Grieving loved ones are speaking out as Camp Pendleton prepares to remember four Marines killed in a crash in the Los Angeles area.
On Wednesday, Julia Nichols received the dog tags for her son, Daniel, 26.
“I probably don't take it off… Keep it with me all the time,” said a tearful Julia. “I don't know how I'm going to live my life without him.”
For a heartbroken mom and a grieving sister, the pain is hard to bear.
“I just want to throw up, all the time,” said sister Juliana Byrd. “There is a piece of me missing.”
They say Daniel was a passenger, when he and three friends, all Camp Pendleton Marines, were driving back from a concert in Los Angeles early Saturday morning.
On southbound I-5 in Downey, the CHP says the Dodge Charger lost control, hit a guardrail and pillar, and split in half.
All four died at the scene.
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“I feel like I'm dead inside. My heart's broken,” said Julia.
Julia calls her son, caring, loving and a protector.
“Best son I could ask for. So proud of him,” said Julia.
“He was goofy, too. He was the best,” said Byrd.
Byrd says he was funny but serious about serving his country.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps six years ago.
One of Daniel’s proudest moments came about two years ago, when he was promoted to sergeant.
Perhaps Daniel was most proud of being a new father to a 1-year-old girl named Santana.
“Always smiling, hugging her, carrying her around… Beautiful to see them together,” said Julia.
On Friday morning, memories of Daniel and the three others killed in the crash will be shared at a memorial service at Camp Pendleton.
“I know it's going to be hard, but I’m happy they're going to do this for us,” said Julia.
CHP has released few details about the cause of the crash, only that the investigation is ongoing.
A Gofundme campaign has been started for the Nichols family and Nichols’ daughter.
