Friends host fundraisers for late CVUSD bus driver

Fundraisers are being hosted for a local school bus driver who died after experiencing a medical emergency while dropping off students at Coachella Valley High School last Friday.

Oralia Guttierez Lopez, 42, was loved by many, according to her coworkers and friends at the Coachella Valley Unified School District.

This week they’re collecting funds to help Lopez’s family cope with the unexpected loss.

“We got Christmas coming around, New Years. Usually at this time is when people, you know, get together, family, you know, friends,” said Frankee Morales, one of Lopez’s coworkers.

He says instead of celebrating this holiday, Lopez’s loved ones are grieving. It’s one reason Lopez’s coworkers are working to help the family with funds to help cover funeral expenses.

“(Employees are planning) A fundraiser lunch event at the transportation building where anyone that goes simply gives a donation and they will receive lunch there. All funds go to the family,” said Fred Gonzalez, Director of CVUSD Security.

Another coworker, Maritza Lerma, says she’s been working with Lopez for nearly 13 years and calls Lopez her best friend. She says Lopez’s death came as a shock.

“There were times when we even went together to the doctor and everything always came back normal, so there was no way of us knowing that something like this would have happened to her,” Lerma said.

Morales was inside his bus when Lopez fell unconscious and hit the bus he was in. He says he’s grateful it happened that way.

“If my bus was not there, who knows where that bus would’ve ended up, whether hitting other kids, crashing into a building,” said Morales.

Morales wasn’t injured and neither were the 35 students on board Lopez’s bus.

Morales setup a GoFundMe page for the Lopez family. You can donate here.