Friends Remember Rubia Briceño, Lost in Accident

Rubia Briceño

The medical community, along with family and friends of Rubia Briceño, continues to mourn her untimely demise, following a fatal road traffic accident on Thursday afternoon.  The well-known physiotherapist was reportedly on her way to an appointment with a patient when the vehicle she was traveling in collided violently with another pickup near mile nine along the Stann Creek Valley Road.  The deadly pileup happened in front of the Citrus Growers Association, as vehicle attempted to exit from the compound.  Rubi, as she was affectionately known, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision and was flung a distance away from the vehicle.  She perished shortly after being rushed to the Southern Regional Hospital.  Today, a black bow adorns her office building on Saint Thomas Street where her colleagues in the medical field are grieving the tragic loss.  Briceño was among a handful of doctors specializing in the treatment of injuries and physical disabilities and, as such, was widely regarded across the country.  This afternoon, News Five spoke with Doctor David Gonzalez, an orthodontist who shares office space with Briceño.

David Gonzalez

Dr. David Gonzalez, Dentist

“Unfortunately, she lost her life yesterday in a traffic accident and we are very sorry for what happened to her.  We miss her a lot, we miss her dearly.  We saw her everyday here.  Unfortunately, life can be short sometimes and it happened to my friend and we miss her dearly.”

Isani Cayetano

“Talk to us about her as a professional.  She’s a colleague of yours, in terms of sharing the same office space.  But in terms of her professional life, what was it like working with her and getting to know who she was as a person?”

Dr. David Gonzalez

“Well, first of all, Rubi came to this building three years after I started.  She was very professional with her patients.  I saw every moment when patients came into her office how she would take care of them all the way from the gate outside, take them inside and take good care of the patients.  In regards to the relationship she had with us, it was very good.  She was very friendly, everybody that talks about Rubi knows that she was a very friendly person and I have no complaints about her really.  Just that I miss her dearly, that’s all.”

Isani Cayetano

“Are there any fond memories that you can share, either of working with her here or anything else that comes to mind at the thought of Rubi Briceño?”

Leslie Bonner

Dr. David Gonzalez

“Just her smile.  She was always smiling with everybody and very friendly.”

Leslie Bonner, Friend of Rubia Briceno

“She has always been a nice person.  If I ever need help with something she was always there.  I actually have a month that I moved in and lived with her.  I wasn’t living with her long and I can basically say that most of her patients would always speak good about her.  Like Dr. Gonzalez mentioned, she’s very professional with her work.  Whenever her patients could not make it, she would go and attend to them wherever she can.”

The drivers of both vehicles, identified as Luis Tzul and Leon Peters have been served with notices of intended prosecution.  Rubia Briceño will be laid to rest on Saturday in San Roman Village, Corozal District.