Memorial held for flight attendant

A memorial service has been held for American Airlines flight attendant Steven Vega, one of three men who died when the car in which they were riding smashed into a bus shelter and burst into flames on Hollywood Boulevard.

“We’re still all in shock,” fellow flight attendant Christina Burgos said of Vega, 27, a former Fort Lauderdale resident. “He was so full of life and loved his career so much. It does not register that he is gone.”

Also killed in the Feb. 26 crash were Anthony Gray, 25, also an American Airlines flight attendant, and Humberto J. Altamirano, 25.

“We are deeply saddened by the deaths of Steven Vega and Anthony Gray, two American Airlines flight attendants,” said company spokeswoman Alexis Aran Coello in a statement. “We are focused on caring for their families and colleagues during this difficult time.”

Both men had recently completed flight attendant training and both were based in Miami, Coello said.

Police said that just after 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 26 an Infiniti sedan being driven by Gray was speeding while heading west on Hollywood Boulevard when it collided with a white Toyota Sienna turning in the intersection at North 35th Avenue.

The Infiniti then struck a bus shelter and caught fire.

The victims of the fiery crash remained unidentified by officials for more than a week.

The Broward County Medical Examiner’s office used dental records to identify Vega and Gray. Altamirano was identified by police after interviews with family members and the findings of its investigation, said Hollywood police spokeswoman Miranda Grossman.

The Toyota’s driver was identified as Josephine Altidor. She was not seriously injured, police said.

Burgos said that a memorial service for Vega was held Saturday in Naples, where he had lived until graduating from flight attendant school in November. At the service were about 30 flight attendants, including many, like Burgos, who became close friends as members of the same training class.

“Steven was the kind of person who spoke to everyone,” said Burgos, 26. “This is so sad, just awful.”

Jhoshua Continanza, a longtime friend, said he spoke to Vega the day before the crash. He also received a Snapchat message Saturday evening in which Vega said the trio had been on Miami’s South Beach and may have had plans to go to a club in Fort Lauderdale.

Born in Colombia, Vega came to the U.S. when he was about 10, Continanza said. His mother now lives in Naples, his father in Fort Lauderdale, Continanza said.

On a Gofundme page set up to aid Altamirano’s family, a relative wrote, “The world has lost an amazing young man. Our family has suffered an unfathomable loss, we will miss him dearly.”

Vega