BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 10, 2016–A couple – Irma Ester Avella, 55, and her husband, Pastor Ricky Avella, 55, were driving to Flores, Peten (which they often visited for recreation and to attend church revivals) in rainy conditions when they got in a terrible accident.

Ricky Avella survived the accident, but his wife Irma did not make it.

Adan Sosa, Interim Administrator of La Loma Luz Hospital, told Amandala that Irma Avella worked at La Loma Luz Hospital for twelve years as supervisor of the medical lab.

Sosa said that Ricky Avella was first taken to Hospital National de San Benito, then to Shalom Hospital on Saturday night. Thereafter, family members brought him to La Loma Luz Hospital on Sunday night and on Wednesday, he was released and sent home, where he is recuperating, Sosa said.

Ricci Avella, 27, the elder of the couple’s two daughters, told Amandala that she was in the United States studying when she got a phone call informing of her mother’s death. Avella said her dad suffered from concussion, internal bleeding and bruised ribs.

La Loma Luz Hospital held a memorial service for Irma Ester Avella on Wednesday afternoon, Sosa said. Ricci said that her mother will be cremated and the remains will be sent to her family in the U.S.

Ricci said that her dad is a pastor of a church and the principal of Seventh Day Adventist Primary School, both in Billy White, Cayo District.

Sosa said that Avella will be hard to replace and describe her as an organized, diligent and very dedicated person.

Amandala was unable to get more details of the accident, since information from the police on the matter was not forthcoming.