‘Everyone misses and loves you, Roy.’ Ceres teen hurt in fall from pickup dies
Roy Anthony Randez, the 16-year-old Ceres boy badly hurt when he fell from the bed of a moving pickup truck late last month, has died, the California Highway Patrol confirmed Friday.
While riding on the lowered tailgate of a pickup truck in a school parking lot Dec. 27, the boy fell off when the driver — another 16-year-old boy — accelerated, the CHP reported.
The accident happened at Hidahl Elementary School on East Redwood Road south of Ceres. According to a Modesto Fire Department incident summary, an engine crew was dispatched and found Roy “with traumatic injuries and in cardiac arrest.”
After first being taken to Doctors Medical Center, the boy was transported to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, where he was on life support.
Levi Deaver, a friend of Roy’s, shared this statement: “I remember Roy not only as a friend, but as a kindhearted and well-rounded individual. No matter the circumstances, he was always happy — smiling, joking, and lifting the spirits of those around him. As a student in the Ag Mechanics program at Ceres High School, Roy was dependable and always willing to help anyone in need.
“From the first time I met him, our connection grew quickly. Whether it was randomly getting close one afternoon, laughing together at the homecoming dance as Roy hyped everyone up and raised the energy, or singing music in the parking lot during a Ceres High School Friday night football game, those moments meant everything to me. The bond we formed in such a short time was incredibly strong, and I will always cherish those memories.
“Roy was deeply loved and appreciated by everyone who knew him. I remember meeting him when I transferred to Ceres High School as a sophomore. I was stressed about starting somewhere new, and Roy was one of the first people to ask my name and where I was from, instantly making me feel welcomed.
“I remember Roy as a respectful young man whose kindness left a lasting impact. His passing is being felt deeply throughout the school community, and he will always be missed. Everyone misses and loves you, Roy.”
Roy’s aunt Amanda Randez wrote on the GoFundMe page “Support for Roy Anthony’s Miracle Recovery” that her nephew “has always been a bright light in our family and community — full of positivity, joy, and kindness.”
She said the GoFundMe account, which has raised nearly $32,500 as of Friday evening, is to support Roy’s parents with hospital bills, travel and other expenses. They have taken time off work “to be by his bedside every day,” she wrote.
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 7:13 PM.
