SW Detroit mural memorial honors 19-year-old killed in crash

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Volunteers are working on a mural memorializing 19-year-old Ramon Leal in southwest Detroit.

Leal was killed more than seven years ago in a car accident at the same spot, the intersection of Scotten and Brandon.

"He's my angel," said his father Ramon Leal, Sr.

His father is keeping a permanent memorial in his son's honor.

"Every day I come here, every day, see this guy, I go to the cemetery every day," said Ramon Sr.

The mural is part of Pabst Blue Ribbon's National Mural Day. It is the first of its kind as public art, which are being created in cities across the country.

"It is showing our support for America and the creative doers of America and the new generation," said Moima Chowoe, who's with Pabst Blue Ribbon's field marketing.

"It just came together perfect," said artist Demaciiio. "Me and Freddy (Diaz) both coming from southwest Detroit being able to collaborate on a mural like this. And something vibrant that brings out colors and emotions, it is something beautiful."

After Ramon's death in 2011, his friend Freddy Diaz painted a mural memorializing him, but someone painted over it.

"Luckily for us Pabst Blue Ribbon approached us about doing it for Natural Mural Day giving us a platform for us to do it all over again," Diaz said.

And whether you want think of it as coincidental or fate ... "The people that approached me were like hey we have this wall in mind, it just so happens to be the same wall I painted years ago," he said.

"It's beautiful, beautiful, especially for the picture," said Ramon, Sr.

"For us to be able to do it again, it's exciting," Diaz said. "He was such a charming guy really happy, friends with everybody."