Family members remember the young lives of those lost in fatal Sunday crash
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IDAHO FALLS — Three community members who died in a fatal crash over the weekend are being remembered for their love of life.
The fatal crash happened at 49th South and Holmes Avenue early Sunday morning. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office reports 19-year-old Omar Arias of Idaho Falls was traveling westbound on 49th South when he drove through a stop sign. Two 24-year-old women — Alexandria “Allie” Dalessi and Sarah Lenon were driving southbound when the two vehicles collided.
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Dalessi and Lenon worked as servers and bartenders at Smokin’ Fins in Idaho Falls where Lenon was recently promoted to Assistant General Manager.
Lenon attended Skyline High School, but ultimately graduated from Idaho Falls High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Idaho State University this spring.
Family of Lenon remember her as a “people person” who loved to travel and was always ready to try new things. She was passionate about activism and politics, and her twin sister, Lexie Lenon, says it would be her sincere wish that everyone exercises their right to vote and make their voices heard.
“Her legacy is one of kindness, happiness, accepting people as they are, and living your life working toward making the world a better place,” Lexie explained. “Nothing is guaranteed. Please remember Sarah and Allie as the bright, shining people that they were.”
Lenon’s best friend, Dalessi, also attended IFHS and ISU. Her dad, Michael Dalessi, says she was happy in the serving and bartending business, but that wasn’t her only passion. She loved boating, building things, running — she ran at least four miles a day — and anything considered “thrilling” such as parasailing and skydiving, she was all in.
Michael recalls her “bubbly” personality as the reason why she had customers who would regularly come to the restaurants she worked at and specifically request to have her as their server.
“She had some ideas and things she was wanting to accomplish. She was a self-doer. It’s surreal (that she’s gone),” her dad says. “Don’t ever take your kids for granted and hug them and love them.”
The night of the accident was Arias’s 19th birthday. He graduated in May 2020 from IFHS where he played on the soccer team. Before his death, he was working for a company building fences, but he planned on attending a trade school to become an electrician.
His family describes him as a a hard worker — often holding two jobs at once — somebody who enjoyed being with his friends, doing photography and watching sunsets. Not only was he full of life, but his sister Cesilia Arias remembers him as never wanting to be “any normal average person,” instead, he wanted to go “above and beyond.”
“He was just one of those live spirits. He always made everybody feel good,” she recalls. “He was a type of person that if he loved you, he would tell you.”
Cesilia is grateful for the time their family had with Arias, and hopes people who are grieving the loss of him know that he would want them to be happy.
“He would want you to keep living,” Cesilia added. “Not only for you, but in a way, for him, because he can’t.”
Arias’s funeral services will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. at Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First Street in Idaho Falls. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Thursday one hour prior to services, both at Coltrin Mortuary.
Dalessi’s family will visit with friends Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to a memorial service at 11 a.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 963 South Ammon Road.
A memorial service for Lenon will be held Friday at 4 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 700 Lindsay Boulevard. A celebration of life will follow.