Alfredo "Junior" Hernandez

On Monday, January 22 at 5:41pm, Alfredo "Junior" Hernandez, at the young age of 17, went to be with the Lord. He wasn't far from his home in Salem, Oregon when he died.

Junior was born in Salem, Oregon on October 5, 2000 to Dawn and Alfredo Hernandez, and younger brother to Landon Hernandez. He was a loving son, brother, step-son, grandson, nephew, cousin, and best friend. He had many friends and was adored by all. Junior had a special bond with his mom, dad, and brother. He referred to them as his "best friends". They did everything together. His relationship with his brother, Landon, was unlike any other. They were attached at the hip - even at family gatherings they were always at each other's side, laughing together. He also had a special bond with his step-dad, Bill. The two of them enjoyed going shopping in Portland for nice shoes, clothes and always enjoyed getting a bite to eat with one another.

Junior was known for his amazing smile and adorable dimples. From the time he was a little boy, Junior always wanted to be outside, working on cars and bikes with his dad and brother. He was a gifted mechanic. His 1991 Mustang was his pride and joy; a recent gift from his father. He loved taking his mustang to car shows at Sonic Drive-In and everyone was always impressed with his car.

Junior was a homebody; he enjoyed playing video games, working on his BMX bike, and playing with the family dogs, Indi, Coco, and Buddy. Junior loved watching "FRIENDS" with his mom at night, and would hold her hand as they sat on the couch together. Junior also had an undying love for ketchup. He would sometimes go through several Costco-sized bottles in a month. He put it on just about everything.

Junior loved God and believed Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of man. He believed in Christ's resurrection and that one day, he would spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus.

Junior will be dearly missed by many. Though his life was short, it was abundant. He impacted thousands of people through his joyful spirit and caring heart. His legacy will live on for many generations to come.

Though our hearts break as we mourn the loss of our precious Junior, we find comfort in
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, which says, "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."

There will be a memorial service for Junior on Saturday, January 27th, 2018 at 2:00pm at Bethany Baptist Church. 1150 Hilfiker Lane, Salem, Oregon 97302.

There is a Gofundme account to help with funeral costs and other expenses titled, "In Memory of Junior Hernandez".