BEAVERTON, Ore. (KOIN) — Thinking back, Carlos Pacheco didn’t make much of the moment that would become his final moment with his younger brother, Oscar. The 20-year-old walked in, flashed that famous smile of his — the one Carlos said could light up a whole room — and started cracking jokes, something the brothers commonly do.
Carlos said Oscar, nicknamed “Cookie,” then pulled out a paintball gun and handed it to him before putting on a mask to protect himself.
“He told me to shoot him in the face with it, and I did,” Carlos said, looking back and laughing. “That’s just the person he is. He always liked to do a lot of goofy stuff like that.”
The memory to Carlos is now also a snapshot of a lesson learned: you never know the last time you will see someone.
On Saturday morning, at approximately 2:25 a.m., Oscar died in a crash along Southwest Murray Boulevard and Hart Road in Beaverton. Police said Oscar’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo had gone off the road and crashed into trees. Officers believe speed is a factor, though an investigation is ongoing.
A day later, with arms around two of his brothers, Carlos remembered his younger brother, who just turned 20 last week.
“You never know when it’s going to be the last time you see somebody,” Carlos said, intermittently choking up. “Just always make sure you tell everybody you love them and don’t take anyone for granted.
“I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to him.”
Instead, Carlos and the rest of their family will try and move on, remembering the things that made them love Oscar so much. Carlos said the last few moths had been the happiest he’s ever seen Oscar. He had a new girlfriend and he had got that Monte Carlo. Carlos said he was proud fo the man his younger brother was becoming.
“He always made sure everyone was smiling, even if he wasn’t smiling,” Oscar said. “He had a great smile to him, too. He would just walk into a room and light up the whole room and everyone was instantly all eyes on him. He had a great energy about him.”
Carlos said they’ll always love Oscar and miss him. His impact will be felt forever, too.
“I know it’s going to be hard, especially for my mom and my dad,” Carlos said. “But we all still have each other. I didn’t just lose my brother and my best friend, I lost a part of myself, too.”
The family set up a Go Fund Me for his funeral expenses.
