Friends, Family and Car Shows for Brandon Gil

Saturday marked the fourth and final day of a to remember Brandon Gil. The 21-year-old car lover from Watsonville was , while drinking with his friend at Miramar, a sports bar, on Main Street. 

Although the car wash helped raise funds for the funeral, the family declined to disclose the amount raised, and say it was more about the act of being there together.

"It was just an overwhelming feeling just to know that so many people took their time out of their day and out of their personal lives just to do that for our family. It's emotional, it's motivating, it's a good feeling," said Brandon Gil's older brother, Aaron Gil, 28. 

Over the course of the four days, the car wash attracted hundreds of Brandon Gil's friends and family. 

"The whole thing was heart warming because a lot of my best friends and our family members, and people we hadn't seen for a long time all came together, travelled from diffrent places to be here. All born and raised in Watsonville," said Aaron Gil.

"It's good to know that in times like this the community really does come together, people are able to not think about themselves they're actually there for one another," he said.

On Saturday, there was a car wash and car show at , on Freedom Boulevard, and another car wash and mini car show a little ways down the road. The Watsonville Impalas came with around 20 Chevy Impalas with signs that read Look but Please Don't Touch!

"It worked out nice because people pull up and while they get their car washed they can check out the cars," said Jose Bonilla, of the Watsonville Impalas car club, as he stood against a green Impala with a brand new light green and cream colored interior. 

It was also something Brandon Gil would have loved. 

"He had a 1950 Mercury, him and his dad would be fixing it up, and he was real proud of that, just to have an old car. He was a big car guy and he liked the old style, how the cars worked back in the day," said Gil's brother.

The Watsonville Impalas also had several bikes glistening in the sun on the lawn between the sidewalk on Freedom Boulevard and the shopping center.

"Anything we can do to help out. We're trying to help all of the youth involved, try to give them something positive. Get them fixing bikes, or fixing up cars. It's not all about violence. Our dream is to teach a better direction. There's still a lot of good people out there," said Israel Garcia, president of the Watsonville Impalas.

Middle school friends stood on Freedom Boulevard in front of Taqueria Mi Tierra with signs for the car wash and also signs just remembering Brandon Gil. 

"He's going to be remembered," said Maggie Estrada, 21, who had been friends with Gil since middle school.

You can see photographs of the community's memorial for Gil .

The makeshift memorial sprang up on the sidewalk where he was found mortally injured. 

Athough Brandon Gil had no gang affiliation, police believe the killing was gang related because no other motive can be found. Gil's friend who was with him that night suffered life threatening stabbings and was taken to the hospital. His hesitation to point fingers at their attackers has recieved much public comment from Patch readers. Gil's family itterates the fact that there was no reason behind the killing of his brother: he was innocent. 

"My brother was only 21, and his life was stolen from him. My brother was just hanging out with one of his friends at a bar and was as innocent as can be, its just not right," said Aaron Gil.  

There will be a for Brandon Gil on Wednesday, April 11 from 5-9 p.m, and a for him the following day at 3 p.m.