Brother makes heartwrenching promise to look after mom dying of stage four brain cancer after preschool teacher sister, 22, is killed in car crash

Sign up for our US Editor's Picks newsletter to get all the biggest exclusive stories See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 11:43 EDT, 28 July 2026 | Updated: 11:45 EDT, 28 July 2026 The brother of a 22-year-old California preschool teacher who was killed in a devastating car crash promised her he would take care of their dying mother.Korrina Lopez died in the hospital on July 21 after being fatally injured in a car crash around 9pm four days earlier on Mount Baldy Road just northeast of Los Angeles. She was the primary caregiver of her mother, who was recently diagnosed with stage-four brain cancer. Lopez was a passenger in the car with four friends traveling northbound on the road when a driver speeding southbound attempted to pass another car by driving on the dirt shoulder, according to California Highway Patrol. The speeding driver lost control of their Toyota Tundra and slammed into the car Lopez was riding in. The preschool teacher was rushed to the hospital where she would later die.Two of the other passengers suffered major injuries, with one being paralyzed, according to Lopez's family. The remaining two passengers suffered minor injuries. The loss of the preschool teacher has left her family devastated. Lopez's 21-year-old brother, Isaiah Lopez, told KTLA: 'She was everything to me.''Just before she passed, I promised I’d take care of our mom,' the brother added. 'Because I know everything my mom is going through, and I know she needs someone.' Korrina Lopez, 22, died in the hospital four days after a devastating car crash on June 17. She was a preschool teacher in California Lopez (center left) is pictured with her family, including her mom (left), and her brother (center right). The mom was recently diagnosed with stage-four brain cancer Lopez's brother, Isaiah Lopez, said that he promised his sister in the hospital that he would look after their momThe crash also claimed the life of 20-year-old Cole Renko, a passenger in the speeding Toyota Tundra. The driver who caused the crash suffered minor injuries, according to California Highway Patrol. Lopez's youngest brother, Elijah Lopez, also shared his heartbreak with KABC. 'I wish she was here right now,' he said. 'It was sad, but I'm happy for her because she's not in pain anymore and that she's with God.' The young woman's uncle, Gabriel Caraza, told the outlet: 'I think the family is just looking for peace. And we may never find it.' 'Our family will never be the same without her... but we're going to hold it together and stay strong for her,' he added. A GoFundMe organized by a family friend to help cover medical expenses and funeral costs described Lopez as a 'lifelong Dodger fan, concert-frequenter, and adventure extraordinaire.''She had a sparkle in her eyes and a contagious laugh that lit up any space she occupied. Her energy was easy and magnetic, which explains why she was a friend to everyone,' the fundraiser added. Indeed, her brother Isaiah told KTLA: 'If someone was excluded from something, she would always bring them to the table where everyone was. She never left anyone out.'Lopez was a teacher at Alta Loma Christian School, which shared a lengthy statement on Facebook mourning the loss of its staff member and revealing that she had been a former student at the school. Lopez was a preschool teacher at Alta Loma Christian School, which she had attended as a child A memorial for Lopez outside of the church that houses the Christian school where she worked is picturedThe Christian school said that Lopez's eighth-grade class graduated in 2019 before she recently returned to work as a preschool aide for a summer gig that developed into a full-time position.The statement said that Lopez's return to the school 'gave us a chance to fall in love with her all over again, now as a leader and supporter of a new generation of kiddos.'California Highway Patrol said that the crash remains under investigation and that there is currently no indication drugs or alcohol played a part in its cause.