Family remembers loving 18-year-old that died in Elkhart house fire

 

ELKHART, Ind. -- Seeing her son’s obituary on their coffee table is never something Susan Juarez or her family ever imagined happening.

“He was special,” says Christyan’s mother, Susan Juarez.

Christyan Cortez, just 18-years-old, died Tuesday morning in a house fire.

“It doesn’t seem real yet,” Juarez admits.

ABC57 first brought you the story Tuesday when crews were battling the blaze on Myrtle St. in Elkhart just after 7:30 in the morning. Firefighters found Christyan Cortez and a dog dead on the first floor.  

His family tells ABC57 he was longboarding late at night when he decided to stop at his friend’s apartment on Myrtle St. He got there at 6am and fell asleep. Not even two hours later is when the fire broke out and Christyan passed away.

Investigators still aren’t sure why the fire started, but one thing that is for sure is just how much Christyan Cortez will be missed by those who knew him.

“And he said, ‘Your son is deceased’ and I just lost it,” Juarez remembers the call from detectives.

Also in the fire was Honey, their beloved family dog that lived at his friend’s apartment.

“I feel like Honey went to save him, and realized she couldn’t” Juarez says. “So, she went back upstairs and died.” 

Knowing Chrystian wasn't alone at the end gives the family some comfort, even through the pain.  

“He’s always been the sweetest kid, through everything we’ve been through in life; he had a big heart, just the sweetest,” Juarez says with two of Christyan’s close friends.

Friends remember growing up with Chrystian, like his best friend Alex.

“We would always watch ‘That 70s show’, that’s the only thing we’d watch,” Alex Fletter remembers.

They say they’ll remember his kindness, compassion, and big hugs.  

“He knew when I was sad, and he knew the right thing to do, he wouldn’t even say a word he would just come give me a hug and it would brighten me up,” says another friend of Christyan’s, Pedro Hernandez.

His mother hopes the love that he can no longer give be shown through others.

“I just pray that everybody keeps him in their thoughts, in their words. Talk about him, don’t forget about him, please,” Juarez hopes. “If the world would love just a little bit like Christyan loves, the world would be such a better place,”

Chrystian’s family has a GoFundMe set up to help cover funeral costs as they suffer through this unexpected and harsh loss.

His funeral is set for this Tuesday the 15th at Maple City Chapel with visitation starting at 4 p.m. and the funeral following at 5:50 p.m. His family says it’s open for anyone that wants to come share memories of Chrystian with them.