Remembering Jeanette Martinez

Here is the article I wrote for the Otter Realm on Jeanette Martinez. She will be missed.

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She was the tiniest girl with the biggest heart. Her big, bright smile lit up any room she entered, and she was always willing to lend a helping hand. A soft voice and petite frame belied her strong conviction to change the world and her devotion to bettering the lives of others.

John Martinez was sound asleep when a knock on the door brought a parent’s greatest nightmare. His eldest daughter, Jeanette, had died only a few hours before. After a long night, she was driving home to her East Campus apartment when tragedy unfolded. A 27-year-old woman had been driving drunk, struck two cars, and hit the CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) junior and Collaborative Health and Human Services major head on, killing her instantly.

The same morning, Ashley Rodgers, a Human Communications major and fifth-year student at CSUMB, woke to an incessant ringing. “The sorority sisters kept calling me and calling me,” said Rodgers. “So I called them back and [a sister] told me what happened, and I got dressed and went over there just to be with them.”

Jeanette was holding down three jobs and 15 units, all while supporting her sorority, Sigma Theta Psi, as an Epsilon class sister, coqueta, and ladybug. “[This semester] she wasn’t active, but she still came to meetings. She wanted us as sisters, she wanted to bring us together,” said Rodgers. “She had a special bond with everyone; I think we all have a little spot with Jeanette.”

One of her favorite activities was fund raising for breast cancer awareness, something her sorority promoted throughout October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Jeanette was an active volunteer and attendee of her church from early in life. Her faith was important to her, and she read her Bible daily. She would memorize 13 verses during the week and read them aloud at Sunday morning service at Family Christian Center, which she attended with her family on a weekly basis.

Alongside her busy life at CSUMB, Jeanette remained close to her parents, two sisters, and niece at home in Greenfield, CA. She took care of her mother when she fell ill, driving her to doctor’s appointments and tending to her needs. “She was always there,” said her mother, Carmen Martinez. “She was never too busy for me. She was always there no matter what; she loved us.”

As the oldest, Ms. Martinez was the best friend to sisters Claudia and Jasmin. Even while pursuing her degree at CSUMB, she was always there to help with homework or to take care of her niece, Neveah. “Even though she worked three jobs, she was always there for us,” said Claudia. “Anything we wanted, she would get for us. We could always call her.”

There is little doubt Jeanette remains a bright spot among her friends and family. From happy child, to happy girl, to happy woman, Jeanette will always be remembered for her smile and presence. “She was like an angel to me,” said Mrs. Martinez. “She lifted me up.”