St. Louis food truck owner killed during storms leaves behind 7 children: 'He always showed up with a hug'

ST. LOUIS – A 48-year-old St. Louis antheral killed erstwhile a histrion crashed into a pickup motortruck during Friday’s severe upwind outbreak successful Missouri and Kentucky leaves a spread successful his community, which volition miss the joyousness helium brought done his laugh, emotion and the delicious thoroughfare maize helium shared.

Juan Baltazar was driving to prime up his 16-year-old son, Martine, from schoolhouse connected Friday, May 16, erstwhile beardown winds knocked implicit a histrion connected his Blue Ford F-250 pickup truck. At slightest 7 radical were killed successful Missouri erstwhile the severe weather and tornadoes swept crossed the state, including successful the St. Louis area, wherever an EF-3 twister, with winds estimated to beryllium astir 140 mph, ripped done a one-mile agelong of the city. 

Photos amusement the mangled motortruck aft the storm, which happened southbound of the deadly tornado.

Juan Baltazar's bluish Ford F-250 pickup motortruck was crushed by a histrion during terrible upwind successful St. Louis connected May 16, 2025. 

(Courtesy: Baltzar family/Jennifer Hartley )

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"That was his pridefulness and joy," Jennifer Hartley said of the motortruck purchased astir 14 years ago. "He's kept it running, and it's been his babe ever since."

Hartley, Baltazar’s ex-wife and parent of his 16-year-old son, told FOX Weather helium leaves down 7 children, including his 6-year-old girl and 3-year-old lad with his wife, Rachel.

Juan Baltazar, right, and his 16-year-old son, 6-year-old girl and 3-year-old son.

(Courtesy: Baltzar family/Jennifer Hartley )

"He's inactive reasoning that he's going to travel home," Hartley said of the toddler, who doesn't afloat comprehend that his daddy is gone. 

Hartley said Baltazar was an awesome begetter to their son, and they "co-parented beautifully" together.

"We've benignant of created this awesome blended, large family. We observe each of our Christmases and our holidays together, and birthdays," she said.

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Baltazar besides has 4 big children successful Mexico, wherever his parent inactive lives. Because Hartley speaks Spanish, she was the 1 who informed galore of his household members of his passing. 

"I had to pass each of them that helium had passed and however it had happened," she said. "Their screams and cries are going to haunt maine forever."

In summation to his household successful Missouri and Mexico, Baltazar has household successful Ohio, Texas and Illinois. Hartley said helium spoke to his children successful Mexico regular and was ever connected the phone, checking successful connected household and friends. 

Juan Baltazar, little right, and his beautiful, blended family.

(Courtesy: Baltzar family/Jennifer Hartley )

"There are thousands of radical who are coming retired and contacting maine and his wife, who are each telling their stories and however overmuch helium affected their life, and however overmuch helium was inactive an progressive portion of their life," Hartley said.

One mode galore radical successful St. Louis mightiness person met Baltazar was done his food. He started the El Mandilon nutrient truck, making wood-smoked thoroughfare maize dissimilar thing other successful the area. After doing nutrient festivals, helium got a licence to tally the nutrient motortruck anyplace successful the country and was conscionable accepted connected DoorDash. 

Baltazar’s lad is astir 17 and enjoyed moving with his begetter connected the nutrient truck. Hartley said helium created the nutrient motortruck to permission a bequest for his lad and thatch him entrepreneurial skills. 

Baltazar was besides known for offering escaped maize astatine the extremity of a engaged day.

"He loved being capable to springiness radical nutrient and marque them happy. See a grin connected their face," Hartley said. 

If helium didn’t person determination helium needed to be, Baltazar would beryllium fishing. Hartley said that adjacent if helium had a spare 5 minutes, helium would find determination to popular up and fish. 

Juan Baltazar loved sportfishing whenever helium had a spare moment. 

(Courtesy: Baltzar family/Jennifer Hartley )

Family was everything to Baltazar, who ever fto his children cognize helium was arrogant of them.

"He ne'er fto him spell a time without knowing however loved helium was," Hartley said of their son. "He ever showed up with a hug, and helium ever near with a hug."

Hartley and her hubby are managing a GoFundMe fundraiser for Baltazar’s woman and children. The mates precocious purchased a location with a owe that needs to beryllium covered present by a azygous income. Donations tin beryllium made here.