Parents Forgive Man Who Killed Their Daughter and Even Let Him Live In Their Home

A couple found it in their hearts to forgive the man who crashed their daughter’s car, leading to her death. They also tried to save him from incarceration.

Maria Jimenez, born in 1992, moved from Costa Rica to the UK because of her father, Fernando Jimenez’s job as a pastor. Like any other college student, she had dreams of fulfilling a career and living independently. In particular, she wanted to become a teacher in Korea.

She was a bright and beautiful girl close to her mom, Elizabeth Jimenez, with whom she shared everything. In 2017, the final year of college, she first mentioned Nick Tay, a friend who had moved from Singapore to study.

Nick was in the same church music group, and the two had been supporting each other after respective breakups. Sadly, Nick and Maria’s friendship was cut short after a tragic accident took her life.

One morning, while Fernando was home alone, the cops knocked on his door and told him that his daughter passed following a car crash with Nick. Fernando shared:

“Nothing prepares you for the news that your child is gone. In Costa Rica, I was that tough boy from the streets, but at that moment, I just collapsed and cried.”

Elizabeth had the same reaction when she found out about her daughter, but soon she began to think about the man behind the wheel -- Nick.

The evening of her passing, Maria had asked Nick to take the wheel as she had been drinking throughout the night. With no insurance, Nick agreed to drive and ended up speeding at 110mph. Maria, who had no seatbelt, was a casualty of the crash.

“Suddenly I thought, ‘Wait a minute, who is with Nick at the police station?’” Elizabeth shared. “I knew his family lived in Singapore. He must be desperate [...] All I felt was deep worry for this young man I didn’t know.”

However, Fernando did not share his wife’s remorse and blamed himself for purchasing the car and Nick for getting behind the wheel. Admittedly, all he felt was rage for the young man.

After nearly four years, Nick was released and immediately deported back to Singapore.

Elizabeth quietly inquired about Nick and asked to see him while in custody. Although the police denied her request, she called Nick as soon as she returned from the hospital.

Elizabeth and Fernando grieved differently and gave each other space but agreed to have Nick visit them at home just two days after Maria’s passing. Elizabeth saw a scared Nick walk into their home that day, not knowing what would come next.

He immediately hugged Fernando and repeatedly begged for forgiveness. While both in tears, Fernando said, “I forgive you, son.” He recalled:

“Mercy and compassion just came to me. At that moment, I let the blame and bitterness go. If I’d held onto these feelings, they would have destroyed me. Instead, I decided to love him.”

Fernando and Elizabeth both did not want Nick to go to jail and took action to keep him from prosecution. In fact, they defended him and allowed Nick to live with them for six weeks as he had no family in the UK.

Many did not understand why the couple was helping and defending the man who killed their daughter, but Elizabeth knew that Nick needed them.

Finally, the day they dreaded came, and Nick was incarcerated, placed behind bars for five years. Elizabeth wrote a letter requesting leniency and wept as Nick was taken.

Even behind bars, the couple continued to support Nick and visited every week. “I would come out of my visits, sit in the car, and sob,” Elizabeth said. “So, we both focused on supporting him, always reminding him that he was forgiven and loved.”

After nearly four years, Nick was released and immediately deported back to Singapore. Still, he kept in contact with Elizabeth and Fernando, talking to them every day.

Car crashes happen very often when drivers are not careful on the road. Recently, another severe crash took place, taking the lives of two graduating high school students on their way to prom.