As residents in the Rio Grande Valley prepare to celebrate the New Year, one widow is sharing her story.

Claudia Torres lost her husband to a drunk driver last year. Torres spoke with Channel 5 News to discuss the impact his death had on her family.

"We didn't get a chance to celebrate Father’s Day. My kids didn't get a chance to give him the gifts that they had planned for him that day,” Torres said. “Instead we had his viewing."

Ricardo Torres, 41, died on June 14, 2023.

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“It was like any other morning,” Torres said. “He said bye, and he hugged and kissed us."

Ricardo was the sole provider of the family. That day, Ricardo got ready for work and left on his motorcycle. He was struck and killed by a drunk driver in Donna at the 1000 block of Business 83.

Torres said she remembered what happened when she got to the scene.

“I saw his helmet in the road and his shoes were flown everywhere,” Torres said.

The pair were high school sweethearts, and now her husband of over two decades was gone.

“It actually sunk in that it was manslaughter case, and a lot of things had to pass – a lot of emotions – a lot of breakdowns at home,” Torres said.

Freddy Lerma, the man behind the wheel of the vehicle police said struck and killed Ricardo, pleaded guilty to a charge of intoxication manslaughter in October. Court records show he was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Torres said Lerma left a hole that her family will never be able to fill.

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“He was an example for his kids as far as working hard and accomplishing his goals, that's the example he set," Torres said. “He left — I tell other people — he left a beautiful legacy behind, which is his kids."

Torres said she’s sharing her story to prevent someone from making the wrong choice to drive under the influence during New Year’s Eve celebrations. 

“Share the road, because there are mothers and fathers and even children in the vehicles, and it's a real simple choice to pass the keys to someone who is sober,” Torres said.

Torres' death was among the nearly 1,300 alcohol related crashes throughout the area in 2023. 

Of them, 110 people were seriously injured and 31 died, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

Driving while intoxicated can lead to jail time and fines of up to $17,000.

Officials have a message for those getting behind the wheel: Drunk driving crashes are 100% preventable.

Watch the video above for the full story.