Pedro Chavez and his son, also named Pedro and known to loved ones as Pedrito, were killed when the car they were traveling in was struck by a truck that ran a stop sign, according to the California Highway Patrol.
"We are in shock. We feel like this is a movie," family member Aylin Cisneros said.
"There's just no explanation. We have the question of why? Why them? Why both?" she said.
The father and son were returning home from their first dove hunting trip of the season when the crash occurred.
Family members said they became concerned when the pair did not return home and tracked their phone locations, leading them to the crash scene.
"It was supposed to be a memory. It wasn't supposed to be their last memory," Cisneros said.
"The doves that they shot were there," she added.
Cisneros said the bond between the two was unmatched.
"They're the Pedros. They're the duo. I feel like God took them both because I don't think Pedrito would've been able to be here without him," she said.
Family members remembered Pedrito as a young teenager who loved music, singing and playing guitar.
His soccer jersey, school achievement award and guitar remain in his room, untouched. The eighth grader was weeks away from his 14th birthday and preparing to return to soccer with his cousins, relatives said.
The driver of the car, identified by family members as Chavez's uncle, was the only occupant of the vehicle to survive. He was airlifted from the crash scene and remained hospitalized as of Friday, family members said.
"Has his ribs broken, part of his hand, he was left without some of his teeth and all they're giving him right now is pain medication," said Miriam Chavez.
Dozens of relatives, including family members who traveled from Washington state, gathered to support one another following the crash.
Family members said Chavez was one of 14 children and that his home in Merced was a frequent gathering place for family celebrations.
"So much pain," Miriam Chavez said.
The California Highway Patrol's investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not said whether impairment was a factor in the crash.
Family members have created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.
For news and weather updates, follow Brisa Colón on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.