What happened to Lilia Vazquez? Daughter honors late mom at Houston Marathon

Lilia Vazquez, a 61-year-old elite runner from Houston, tragically lost her life on December 13th, 2024, after being hit by a vehicle during her daily morning run. She was struck while running along Westpark between Ocee and Jeanetta, near Fondren Road and Gessner Road.

Her family is now seeking justice, urging authorities to locate the driver responsible for the hit-and-run. Vazquez was preparing to participate as an invited Elite Runner in the upcoming Houston Marathon on 19 January.

---

Daughters pay respect by participating in the Houston Marathon

Lilia Vazquez's daughters Mariana and Cecilia Vazquez paid respect to their mother by taking part in the Houston Marathon and wearing a bib that read 'I run today in honor of Lilia Vazquez.' While speaking to KHOU11 News, Mariana Vasquez said:

"What better time than now to use [running] to help carry me forward through the hardest time of my life. She should be here and I know it's going to be emotional, but I'm also going to be very proud of the way she touched the community,"

Brenda Gonzalez, one of Lilia Vazquez's friends told ABC News that she along with the running community that Lilia was a part of, plans to ensure that her registration for the Houston Marathon is not scrapped. Gonzales said:

"Her family would like her bib to run. We're working now with Chevron/Houston Marathon to see if we can run her bib in memoriam,"

A GoFundMe account to honor Lilia Vazquez has also been set up. With a $50k goal, the campaign has successfully raised over $44k already.

Houston Police have informed KHOU11 News that their detectives have thoroughly searched the area where the tragic incident occurred and are now asking the public for assistance in locating the individual responsible.

Later in December, the Houston Police Department made public surveillance footage showing a potential suspect vehicle. The vehicle is believed to be a dark-colored pickup truck, with a flat, rectangular piece of plywood visible in the cab. Authorities also suspect that the truck may have sustained front-end damage on the right side.

When ABC13 reached out, the Houston Police Department had no updates on the current status of the investigation. It is also unclear when authorities will release further surveillance footage, potentially captured near the precise location where Vazquez was struck. On Monday morning, several of Vazquez's running friends reportedly gathered at her home, wearing the medals she earned from marathons across the country.