PALMETTO BAY, Fla. – The city of Palmetto Bay renamed Southwest 80th Avenue and 162nd Street "Kaely Camacho Way" Friday in honor of the 13-year-old girl killed in a suspected DUI crash in April 2012.
The street is in front of Southwood Middle School, where she attended school.
"That could not have been a more perfect street naming as it's 'way,'" said Angela Camacho, Kaely's mother. "I think that's now -- the kids are going to be saying, 'Do it the Kaely Camacho way.'"
"She cared about everybody and I guess karma is something else and it came back around to show her," said Kirk Camacho, Kaely's father.
Police say Sandor Guillen was drunk when he drove his sport utility vehicle down a Busway lane at 100 mph, T-boning a van carrying Camacho, her father and her older sister, and then ran away from the scene. Camacho was killed in the crash.
It took family and friends about a year to get the street named for her. They hope it sends a message about the perils of drunk driving.
"Because it makes a family suffer and changes lives," said Jodi Camacho, Kaely's aunt. "Unfortunately, our family had to pay for it but Kaely's life will live on in all of us."
"During the summer, we would come out to the council meetings to try and get it approved, so we have been waiting for a long time and now that it is finally done, it is like she will be remembered forever," said Elizabeth Rosario.
"She would have been so proud, so happy," said Angela Camacho. "She always had a positive attitude and spirit and she always tried to lead by example and I think this would mean a lot to her."
Guillen is out on bond as he awaits trial.