Alex Cooper: Boy, 8, dies and his sister, 9, is left seriously injured after being hit by a car on California highway

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: A young boy lost his life and his sister was left seriously injured on Sunday, February 11, when they were hit by a car while waiting in the center median of a California highway after their mother's car became disabled. The boy, identified by his mother as Alex Cooper, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to KOVR.

According to NBC-affiliate KCRA-TV and FOX-affiliate KTXL, California Highway Patrol said the eight-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl were passengers in a Toyota that became disabled in the fast lane of Highway 50 in Sacramento. 

What did Alex Cooper's mother say?

The children’s mother, Yari Quirarte, said she and her children were traveling from Rancho Cordova to a Super Bowl party in Sacramento when a tire blew on her vehicle, KCRA-TC and CBS-affiliate KOVR reported. "Cars were getting close, so I tried to wave them down to tell them I have my hazards on, like they’re going really fast," Quirarte said.

The two children were in the center median at around 4.30 pm local time when a Ford attempted to avoid hitting the Toyota and swerved into the same area where the children were, CHP said, as per the reports. Quirarte said her daughter Jasmine was hospitalized with two broken legs and underwent surgery on Monday, February 12.

The “extensive surgery” spanned several hours, “during which dedicated doctors worked tirelessly to reset her broken bones and secure them with pins,” according to GoFundMe organizers Sandra Moreno and Julie White.

Quirarte had removed both children from her car Sunday afternoon, February 11, out of concern for their safety on the busy highway, as per KCRA-TV. The mother then placed her children behind construction barriers that lined the median.

“I took my kids out. We were in the centerpiece in the middle of the freeway, where they are doing construction, where they have the dividers, so I thought it would be safe for us to stand there at least while I wait for help," Quirarte added.

Alex Cooper regularly made others laugh

Alex, who died on impact, was described as someone who regularly made others laugh. The second grade student was often “the sunshine of peoples' bad days,” according to his mother. “I want people to remember him as just a curious little boy, that he was happy,” said Quirarte, as per KCRA-TV.

As of Wednesday morning, February 14, more than $5,000 has been raised via online fundraisers for the children’s family in wake of Sunday’s crash.