Family remembers little boy who died after collapsing at Visalia Adventure Park

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) – A family is mourning the loss of a young boy who died after collapsing at a Visalia amusement park.

Richard Weinert-Soto has never seen a microphone he didn’t like.

“I don’t know if he is an angel that God sent me temporarily, but I miss him,” said Maria Velasco, Richard’s mother.

The 11-year-old has been through a lot in his short life.

He was born with his heart on the wrong side of his body and missing arteries from his heart to his lungs.

He underwent his first open-heart surgery at the age of two months and spent the first year of his life at Valley Children’s Hospital.

In the following years he had to undergo five more heart operations.

But he smiled the whole time and immediately comforted his mother after having tubes removed from his throat following numerous surgeries.

“And he said something like, ‘I’m fine, Mommy,’ and then he smiled,” Maria recalled.

His father, Christopher Weinert, says he was a giver who always thought of others.

“He liked giving attention, he liked giving gifts rather than receiving gifts. He liked receiving gifts and all that, but he got more pleasure from giving a gift,” Christopher said.

Richard had five older siblings.

The two closest to him in age remembered times when he tried to wrestle with them or play pranks on them.

Richard spent his last day at Adventure Park in Visalia, a place he loved to visit and where his sister worked as a supervisor.

She was in charge on Saturday when her family came by with a group from her church.

“I told my mom to wait for me before she left because I wanted to say goodbye. For some reason, my gut feeling told me to say it that day,” said Graciela Munoz-Soto, Richard’s sister.

During her break, she received a call on her walkie-talkie and learned that someone had collapsed while waiting for the water slide.

“I ran up there and when I got to the top I realized it was my brother and he was so blue and purple,” Graciela recalled.

Staff cared for Richard until first responders arrived.

He was taken to the hospital, where, according to his mother, he was pronounced dead three times, which his parents said speaks to his fighting spirit.

“He fought hard, he fought until the end,” Christopher said.

Richard had a strong faith, enjoyed going to church on Sundays and singing

These memories and his deep faith help his family through this time until they can see each other again.

“And when he sang, he sang with a joy, as if he was singing with his heart in his hands,” said Maria.

Richard’s family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for funeral expenses.

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