Worcester woman killed in Virginia I-95 bus crash had "so many dreams and plans for her future"
A young woman who was among the five people from Massachusetts killed in a bus crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia last week is being remembered as having a "heart bigger than words can describe."
Priscila Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, was riding in a Chevrolet Suburban early Friday morning when her car and several other vehicles were hit by bus that failed to slow down for traffic on I-95 in Stafford County.
Mafalda died. A family of four from Greenfield, Massachusetts in an Acura SUV were also killed in the crash, which left 44 other people hurt. The bus driver, Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York, has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, according to police.
Those who knew Mafalda said she was easy to befriend and even easier to love.
"Losing her has been a pain and I never imagined I would feel. It hurts knowing we didn't have enough time to do everything we had planned together," friend and coworker Milene Santos said in a statement to CBS News Boston Monday. "She will always remain in my heart as one of the most beautiful memories of my life."
Mafalda had worked at a woman-owned cleaning company called XPro Cleans for the past year. Her employer, Monique Almeida, said Mafalda had a lot of plans and dreams for her future, and they quickly became friends.
"I will always remember her beautiful smile, her kindness, and the way she made people feel comfortable and cared for. She will be deeply missed by all of us," Almeida said in a statement.
Mafalda was described as carrying light wherever she went and bringing love to everything she touched.
"The sweetest and most intense person I've ever known. She was a soul illuminated by God with such a unique way of being," Santos said. "The longing will last forever, but so will the love and memories she left behind."
The family of four from Greenfield, Massachusetts were identified as 45-year-old Dmitri Doncev, his 44-year-old wife Ecterina, and their two children, 13-year-old Emily and 7-year-old Mark. They were on their way to a wedding in South Carolina at the time of the crash.
"Their absence leaves a void that can never be filled, but their memories, their love, and the countless lives they touched will remain forever in our hearts," the Doncev family said in a statement to CBS News Boston.
The family had immigrated from Moldova in 2008 and settled in Greenfield, just north of Springfield, Massachusetts. Dmitri was a nurse at Holyoke Medical Center while Ecterina was a hairstylist.
The children's school, Providence Christian Academy, released a statement saying the family was a "cherished part of our school community.
"Their loss is being felt deeply by our students, families, faculty, and staff."
