Our family recently experienced a devastating loss: my mother, Milagros Vega, has passed away after a courageous battle with stage 4 bile duct cancer.

Milagros, aka Millie, was 73 years old and the heart of our entire family. In a traditional Latino family like ours, she was the doña — the one we all turned to for love, wisdom, and strength. Everyone who knew her loved and respected her. She was loving, funny, strong, selfless, and deeply empathetic.

She enjoyed her orchids, warm weather by the pool, rainbow popcorn, but most of all she loved her children, our family pets, and of course her husband — my dad. She was a devoted Christian, and her faith and church community meant everything to her.

Our family is large, and while she had her own children — myself, my sister Marilyn, and my two older brothers Alex and Anthony — the truth is that she was everyone’s mom. In our family, everyone’s kids were her kids. She spent her life caring for others, showing up for everyone, and making sure the people she loved felt supported and safe.

She adopted me and always made me feel loved and like I mattered in this world. She taught me how to love life and how to love others. I’ve watched my mom face every life challenge like a hero, and so much of my resilience comes from her. I’ve always tried to be someone people can turn to — just like she was.

My measure of what makes a great parent is preparing their child for the world — my mom did exactly that. I am so proud and grateful for her. Her impact goes far beyond just our family — she touched the lives of everyone she met.

Now, we are doing our best to honor her life and lay her to rest with the love and dignity she deserves.

As we navigate this loss, we are facing funeral expenses and the financial challenges that come with losing the foundation of our family. We are also working to support my father during this incredibly difficult transition, as we all adjust and try to find our footing again.

We are asking for help to cover funeral costs and to support our family during this time of grief and rebuilding. Any contribution, no matter the size, means more than we can express.

If you’re unable to donate, we ask that you please share this fundraiser, keep our family in your prayers, or send messages of support.

If you knew Millie, you know how much love she gave to everyone around her. Now we are asking for help to surround our family with that same love as we honor her memory.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us.

Love,

Arturo & The Vega Family