Red Bank man who died after pedestrian collision planned to build home for his mother

RED BANK − Frank Luna-Santamaria dreamed of building his mother Concepcion a house.

He shared that wish with his father Jaime, both of them wanting to construct the home on a small piece of land the family owned in Nealtican, Mexico.

The 20-year-old Red Bank man didn't live to see that day come. He was struck by a vehicle on May 15 in the borough and suffered a massive brain injury, police and family said.

Luna-Santamaria, known as Frankie and remembered for his colorful clothing, frequently curled or highlighted hair and for being always on hand both at work and for his family, died Monday at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

His stinging loss is being felt among the large contingent of people from Nealtican who now live, work and own businesses in Red Bank and the surrounding area, said his aunt, Marlen Luna of Neptune.

"(Nealtican) is a town where everybody knows each other," Luna said.

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Luna-Santamaria had just left the restaurant Buona Sera on Maple Avenue, where he worked in the kitchen and had filled in for another worker on what would have been his day off, when the collision occurred about 9:15 p.m. that Wednesday.

A beige 2004 Lexus RX driven by a Colts Neck woman was traveling south on Bridge Avenue when the vehicle struck Luna-Santamaria at the Herbert Street intersection, two or three blocks from his Shrewsbury Avenue apartment, police said. An off-duty police officer from a department outside of Red Bank witnessed the collision, police said.

Medics quickly arrived and treated the critically injured man, police said.

The driver, Denise Denk, who remained at the scene, did not appear to be under the influence and cooperated with investigators, Red Bank Police Capt. Mike Frazee said.

No tickets or summonses have been issued, Frazee said Friday.

Luna-Santamaria was born in Tennessee, but soon after moved with his family to Red Bank.

His family became part of their local community in the borough, with his father active in adult soccer leagues. After living there and in Asbury Park, he and his family returned to Mexico when he was 3 or 4.

As an American citizen, he was able to freely travel back and forth between Monmouth County and Nealtican, less than 100 miles southeast of Mexico City. He came back without his parents to attend Monmouth Regional High School, returned to Mexico and came back once again when he was 19, his aunt said. He worked in Buena Sera for about a year.

"He was a good kid, always helpful," said a longtime manager at Buona Sera who only gave his name as Mike. "It's had an emotional impact. The kitchen guys, everyone considered him like a member of the family."

There was a frantic effort to bring his parents to his bedside in the hospital, Luna said. But the family failed to get what's called humanitarian parole, which allows foreign nationals who can't otherwise enter the United States pass into the country for urgent reasons.

Luna is working to raise money to send her nephew's body back to Mexico, where his parents and four siblings await him. She started a GoFundMe account that had raised more than $16,000 by Friday night.

"He was very caring and generous - he would always be there for you," Luna said. "He was very sweet and he never complained."

Ken Serrano covers breaking news, crime and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or kserrano@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Red Bank NJ crash vicitm remembered as caring, sweet