Dear friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers,

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Aquileo Jose Medrano. He was a cherished member of the Pono family who brought so much love and light into our lives. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

At Pono we try to be a pillar of community and a place that people come to for laughter and companionship. We cannot be that pillar without the people who help us stand tall. Aquileo exemplified what it means to be a friend and a hard worker. Even when it was stressful, you could always get a laugh out of him.

Aquileo Medrano José, lived his childhood in a small town in the State of Oaxaca where he went to school before moving to Mexico city. There, he met his wife Alondra Dolores and with the blessing of God they had two children: Luna, who is currently 12 years old and Karim, who is 5 years old. Leo wanted to give his family the best opportunities in life so, to support his family, he made the choice to live and work in the United States where he stayed the last 4 years. His family has given us this message:

“We have decided to send Leo’s body to Mexico where his family awaits him with great pain in their hearts. Today, his departure hurts us but we are left with the memory of how he was in life. He was a person with a unique personality, he saw life with a lot of positivity, he was always very happy and sociable, he longed to build a home for his children, a project that could not be realized. Now the family's goal is to finish building and take care of my brother's dream. Hoping to count on the support of all of you to be able to repatriate my brother's body to his native country and be able to receive his holy burial.”

As we come to terms with Leo’s passing, his family is faced with the difficult task of arranging his final farewell. We want to give him, and them, the dignified and heartfelt send-off he deserves.

We are reaching out to our community for support in honoring Leo’s memory. Any contribution, no matter how small, will help alleviate the financial strain and allow his family to focus on grieving and remembering him.

Funds raised will go towards transporting Leo’s remains back to his family in Mexico and funeral services. Any left over funds will go to his wife and children as they try to recover from this loss. Your generosity will make a meaningful difference in ensuring that Aquileo is laid to rest with dignity and respect.

We also appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and messages of support during this difficult time. Your kindness means the world to us as we navigate through our grief.

Thank you for your compassion and generosity.

The Pono Family