Family members and friends gathered to honor Ford Savela on the one-year anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that took the life of the Mira Costa High School senior in Manhattan Beach. 

A crowd of about 250 convened outside the Taco Bell on Sepulveda, holding candles and laying more flowers and mementos at the makeshift memorial that has been in place for the past year. 

Savela, a beloved son, brother, and friend, was an active member of the Beach Cities Health District’s Youth Advisory Council, a youth-led group focused on promoting the health and well-being of their peers. At a celebration of his life last January, he was remembered as a cherished member of the community who was "a force for good" who "lived with purpose." 

The Ford W. Savela Legacy of Kindness Scholarship was created in his honor to support students "who embody his core values of kindness, empathy, high character, and community involvement."

The hit-and-run collision took place on January 7, 2025. Suspect Kameron Lee Peterson was later taken into custody and charged with murder, hit-and-run causing death or serious injuries, and reckless driving.