Members of Iglesia Asamblea del Principe de Paz in Clarkston, Ga. are feeling the loss of their friend Raul Maldonado-Lopez, 28, of Norcross, after he was killed in a car accident on I-285 west of the Chattahoochee River in Cobb County last week.

“When you first met him he inspired you,” said IAPP’s Co-Pastor Monica Romero. “Even though you didn’t know him. Our pianist in the church—he hasn’t even been here for a year, but he said, ‘In the time that I’ve known him I feel like I’ve known him forever.’”

A native of Tapachula, Mexico, Maldonado-Lopez had been a member of Iglesia Asamblea del Principe de Paz since 2002. Romero said he was a youth director and played bass and guitar in the church’s band.

“We’re getting calls from Virginia of the lives of pastors that he touched up there,” she said. “He would travel with the musicians when my husband would go preach in other states. He just touched a lot of lives.”

Tuesday, Aug. 21 would have been Maldonado-Lopez’s 29^th birthday. IAPP’s musicians will release white balloons in honor of his birthday. The church plans a memorial for him Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 8 p.m. at IAPP, 4113 Church Street in Clarkston, Ga.

Maldonado-Lopez is survived by his mother, brothers and a sister in Mexico. IAPP raised money to send his body back to his hometown for burial. Members of the church will accompany his body back to Mexico. 

See Also:

• Police Identify Victim in I-285 Fatality Crash
• Drivers Identified in I-285 Fatality Accident
• One Fatality Confirmed in I-285 Wreck in Cobb County