Beloved community member killed in Sunland-Tujunga crash remembered for her kindness, generosity

SUNLAND-TUJUNGA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A community in the Sunland-Tujunga area is mourning the death of a 75-year-old woman who was known for her kindness toward others.

Affectionately known as Sunny, she was beloved by all.

Sunny died when she was hit by a pickup truck around 5:30 a.m. Thursday near the area of Sunland and Foothill boulevards, according to Los Angeles police. The driver stayed at the scene.

Sunny was known for stopping by a Yum Yum Donuts store every morning to purchase some pastries and pray for people who stepped through the doors.

Based on the timing of the collision, staff at Yum Yum Donuts believe Sunny was on her way to the doughnut shop for her morning prayers when she was hit.

Just the day before, she was seen hugging and praying for two police officers.

Joaquin Nunez has worked at the Yum Yun Donuts for a year and said he looked forward to Sunny's morning visits. He said customers would leave happy knowing that she was praying for them.

"She would sit in the chair right here and wait for people to come in and just pray for them," Nunez said.

He says Sunny would walk to the shop every morning except Sunday. She was so well known that customers would stop by just to see her.

After her stop at the doughnut shop, she would sometimes bring pastries to the homeless who lived nearby.

"She walks around the neighborhood and prays for everybody," said Andrew Maldonado, who knew Sunny. "She'd say 'God is good. Please give him the strength to do better and get a good job.'"

Nunez said people would ask Sunny why she would visit the doughnut shop so often.

"Every morning she'll say that she'll ask God where do I go? Where am I supposed to go?" Nunez recalled. "And she said that God would always bring her to the doughnut shop."