Man killed after lumber falls off truck on freeway; Family speaks out

LOS ANGELES - It's been one week since Manny Camacho was killed on the 118 Freeway in Chatsworth, after a piece of wood fell off the truck in front of him and through his windshield, hitting him. Now, for the first time, his family is speaking out. 

Manny Camacho's mom, M'Liss Silva, said her 23-year-old son died from "blunt force trauma to his torso." Initially, reports were that Camacho was impaled by lumber from the truck in front of him. But, she said the lumber didn't impale him, but rather hit him so hard that it killed him.

Camacho's uncle, Marc Martinez, said for such a safe driver, it's odd that something like this would happen. 

"We understand completely that it was a freak accident, but we think it's an accident that should have been avoidable considering how safe he was," said Martinez.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Truck driver killed after being struck by lumber off back of another truck in Chatsworth

Marc's sister and Manny's aunt Megann Martinez said "we always called him our first son because he was the one that we all had a joint effort in raising him. And, it's just really hard because he was trying to do positive."

His family said Camacho was not just a good young man, but that he was a straight-A student — graduating high school with over a 4.0 GPA. They said he "...excelled in everything he did. He was a league champion in football, a league champ in wrestling, a league champ in track. He made the dean's list his first year at Azusa Pacific University."

But all that aside, his mother said "...the hardest thing is to get up every day and as soon as I open my eyes it's not a dream. It is my new reality. There are moments where I don't know how I'm going to go on. I have three other boys, but we're just taking it day by day."

The California Highway Patrol is still investigating how the accident happened while Camacho's body is still with the medical examiner's office. It may not be until early February before there can be a funeral or memorial service, and the family is looking for financial help. Information on the fundraiser for Camacho's family can be found by tapping or clicking here.