A family is grappling with the shocking death of a mom of three. Sara Vasquez was an incredibly devoted caregiver to her children, but in an indirect way, her devotion led to her death. After a grueling night of taking care of her children without much rest, she agreed to go on a motorcycle ride with her boyfriend. Sometimes getting outside and having a little fresh air can do you a lot of good. But during the ride, Vasquez got tired. Her exhaustion finally caught up with her, causing her to fall asleep and then fall off the motorcycle. Now, her family has to pick up the pieces for the sake of her children in the wake of a terrible accident.
The incident took place around 2 p.m. on December 26, 2025, News 6 reported. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 34-year-old mom was riding on the back of a motorcycle operated by her boyfriend, 45-year-old Ricardo Bernal.
According to the crash report, Vasquez is believed to have fallen asleep during the ride. She then fell off the vehicle and hit a guardrail, WESH reported. As a result, she was declared dead at the scene. Neither Vasquez nor Bernal was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
Bernal was not injured during the accident and stayed on the scene, police said.
He was later arrested on charges of driving with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender resulting in death, driving with a suspended or revoked license and driving without a motorcycle endorsement, both outlets reported.
“He thought the air would, you know, reinvigorate her or refresh her,” Vasquez’s stepfather, Alan Keyser, told News 6. “Well, when he took her out on the motorcycle ride, she was exhausted and it made her fall asleep.”
A GoFundMe account started for Vasquez’s mother, Maria Keyser, explained that the mom of three was up all night before her accident taking care of her children. A family member came to give her time to rest, but instead of resting, she went on the ill-fated motorcycle ride.
The fundraiser described Sara Vasquez as a “joyful, attentive, and deeply devoted mother” to her children, two of whom are autistic. “She was the heart of their world, their constant, their safe place,” the page read.
Alan Keyser told News 6 that he and his wife plan to bring Vasquez’s 14- and 12-year-old sons to live with them in Michigan. Her 4-year-old son, whom she shared with Bernal, will remain in Florida with his father’s family.
“We don’t really want to take the baby out of his environment because we’re strangers to him,” he explained. “We’re trying to do the most responsible adult thing that we can do.”
According to the news outlet, Bernal posted a $5,500 bond.
