An Arizona mom-of-seven was killed after she was hit by a train on an early morning run.
Thelma Candelaria died at around 6 a.m. Thursday in Eloy, a city about 50 miles from Tucson. Her daughter Alaisha said on Facebook her mom had posted parts of her final journey on social media - stopping to film one passing train, only to be struck by a second one from behind.
The 47-year-old had recently taken to running in the mornings, often leaving to exercise as early as 4 or 5 a.m.
“My mom was full of life and love,” Alaisha wrote. “She was just starting to really love and cherish herself again.”
“My mom turned her life over to god and got baptized this last Sunday. She is in heaven. She did NOT intentionally pass away.”
Alaisha shared a GoFundMe campaign launched to raise money for Thelma’s seven children, including 21 year-old Shaunia, who will step in as head of the household, and three minors, Symphony, Evelyn, and Max. As of October 20, the campaign has raised over $11,000 towards its $13,000 target.
Alaisha told AZFamily she pieced together the morning of her mother’s death using clips posted to social media along with surveillance footage at the scene.
“She was singing along to Jessie Reyez, which is her favorite artist,” Alaisha said. “She was laughing.”
Footage obtained by the outlet shows a tiny light, believed to be from Candelaria’s phone, near one of the trains. Despite the train blasting its horn, the light remains motionless.
Then, a second train suddenly appears, traveling in the other direction.
“She did not see it at all as her back was facing it,” Alaisha wrote on Facebook. “She also had her noise canceling headphones on.”
Eloy police confirmed to Fox 10 Phoenix that both the Union Pacific train recorded by the victim and the train that struck her sounded their horns before she was hit. The train that struck the runner also activated its emergency braking system.
Union Pacific and Eloy Police said the incident is under investigation.
“Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones,” the Union Pacific told PEOPLE in a statement. “The Union Pacific crew operating the train at the time of the incident was not injured and is being offered support. The incident is under investigation.”
Alaisha shared footage of her mother running with AZFamily. In one clip, the mom can be seen beaming at the camera and flashing a peace sign.
On Facebook, she asked for her mom to be remembered as a happy person.
“She was happy when she passed, singing her heart out, free and loud and beautiful and expressive as always,” she wrote. “Remember her how she was because that’s exactly what she was up until her last seconds.”
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