Felix Mando Rodriguez Jr., Christopher's grandfather, recently returned to the crash site at the intersection of Bridgewater Street and Oriole Way, where a growing memorial now stands.
"He was energetic. He was lively. He was funny. He had a huge heart for his age," Rodriguez said.
Christopher was riding his bike on April 30 when he was hit by a truck and killed. In the weeks since, family members have leaned on community support while working to honor his memory.
"Is it difficult to be here? It is very difficult to be here, but is also heartwarming with the communities outreach in our tragedy and showing us that people still care," Rodriguez said.
Amid their grief, the family has begun advocating for changes aimed at improving safety in the area. Their concerns echo those of other residents, who say speeding and limited visibility caused by commercial vehicles are ongoing problems.
The family has launched a petition calling for changes such as additional crosswalks and traffic calming measures. The effort has already received thousands of signatures, and they plan to present their concerns at an upcoming city council meeting.
"This is a way of us coping, but honestly, this is a way of us to leave a legacy turn a positive out of something that is very big negative in our lives," Rodriguez said.
He added that the city should "reevaluate such things as crosswalks do we need more painted crosswalks this crosswalk isn't painted do we need speed bumps?"
In a statement, Atwater Mayor Mike Nelson said that before the incident, "the city council had already directed our police chief and traffic engineer to study traffic safety issues.." and that officials hope to add an additional police officer in a future budget.
Christopher, described by family as bright and full of life, had dreams of becoming a U.S. Marine, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Rodriguez said advocating for change has become his new mission.
"We are here to accomplish a mission. There's no worse enemy and no better friend than a US for me. We've been handed a mission and will complete it," he said.
Christopher's school, Juniper Elementary, has also honored him. The school held a color run in his memory and plans to dedicate a bench in his name.
"Lives matter, he only had 10 short years, but he had an impact that we want students to know that he had an impact," said Michele McCabe, assistant superintendent of human resources.
At the crash site, flowers and tributes, including references to Christopher's favorite football team, continue to grow, serving as both remembrance and a call for caution.
"In a way we're glad that it's here to remind the community that please slow down. Please be thoughtful of kids playing in the neighborhood and hopefully we don't have any more of these memorials for other families to have to see like we do," Rodriguez said.
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