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Published on 07/21/1999 All articles from this issue

Outpouring for talented, respected teens who died in car crash near Hollister

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By Serena Chang

Special to the Town Crier

Friends and families were coming to grips last week with a tragedy that took the lives of two recent Los Altos High School graduates.

Glowing superlatives came easily for those close to Erin Maruyama and Jenica Hong, who died in a July 7 car crash along Highway 25 near Hollister. The two other students in the car survived.

"They definitely were friends you'd never forget," said Andy Lu, 18, one of the passengers who survived the accident. "They were trustworthy, really fun to hang out with, people to rely on."

Erin, 17, the driver of the vehicle, died at the scene. Jenica, her friend and classmate, was transported to San Jose Medical Center in critical condition. She died July 14. Andy, Erin and Jenica graduated from Los Altos High last month.

A three-year varsity basketball player at Los Altos High, Erin was known as a natural athlete who often gave support to her peers.

"She had this great sense of humor that was very subtle. She could just reduce the entire basketball team to helpless laughter with just one little comment or funny expression," said Tasha Shapiro, one of Erin's basketball teammates.

Outside of school, Erin played on club teams, including the San Jose Ninjas for the Asian League. Janet Liao knew Erin as a teammate both in San Jose and at Los Altos High.

"When I played basketball with her at Los Altos, we were having a bad season and she was the only one who really saw that I wasn't having too much fun. She would tell me that she knew what it felt like, too, and that I should hang in there," Janet said.

"She loved playing basketball, fishing - just hanging out with her friends ... She was really gung-ho about everything," said Christina Fonseca, another teammate and friend.

Monica Lodge, Los Altos High athletics director, first met Erin as her soccer coach eleven years ago. She was not surprised to learn that Erin was voted "Most Athletic" in eighth grade.

"She could have done anything athletically ... She was just one of those individuals who did her own thing and was very true about it, and that's what was so great about her," Lodge said.

Jenica was voted "Most Artistic" by her peers as an eighth grader at Egan Intermediate School in Los Altos. She played field hockey at Los Altos High for two years and also enjoyed playing pool in her spare time.

"She was really good (at field hockey), but not much of the bragging type," said close friend Sonia Valdez. "Jenica was a really gorgeous person, both inside and outside. She loved hanging out and having fun, no matter where we were."

Field hockey coach Gerri Baldwin coached Jenica for four years at Los Altos High.

"She was always a hard worker in games, never gave up. We would have been lost without her. I feel as if I lost one of my own kids," Baldwin said.

Private services were held July 14 for Erin.

Private services were held last Friday for Jenica.

Erin and Jenica had planned to attend DeAnza College.

Erin is survived by her parents, Candice and David, and an older brother.

Jenica is survived by her parents, Hyekyung and Sung, and three younger siblings.