Providence restaurant fundraising to help family of cook killed in motorcycle crash

After one of their coworkers tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident, the staff at a Providence restaurant is trying to help bring peace and closure to his family. Rafael Cruz, an employee at Tortilla Flats, died in a motorcycle crash in Lakeville, Massachusetts on Monday at 24 . His coworkers said he was the backbone of the restaurant, always showing up with a smile, a great attitude, and a helping hand that went well beyond his job description. "I'm the only person in the kitchen that doesn't speak Spanish, and Rafael taught me how to talk kitchen Spanish," said Guy Shaffer, the restaurant's owner. Shaffer said the loss has left an enormous hole in the restaurant, adding that Cruz showed patience and generosity to all around him. "He was just a guy that really enjoyed life," Shaffer said. "All smiles, worked really, really hard.

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Scoop News DeskProvidence, Rhode Island · Published Monday, September 14, 2026 at 3:21 AM UTCUpdated Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC

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He just did what he loved, and he was happy to share it." A GoFundMe fundraiser started by Shaffer has managed to raise roughly $5,000 in less than a day, and the money would be used to help get Cruz's body back to the Dominican Republic. "His mother lives in the Dominican Republic, he lived with his aunt here in Providence," Shaffer said. "Neighbors have donated, old friends growing up." While the fundraiser hasn't quite reached its goal, the initial response from the Tortilla Flats community and the wider community has been heartwarming. "They saw this and said 'This is a worthy cause, let's help this guy and help his family," Shaffer said. "It's really inspiring." Providence restaurant fundraising to help family of cook killed in motorcycle crash - WJAR.

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