Memorial Funeral for Gabriel Candanedo

With heavy hearts, we lost Gabriel Candanedo on March 11th, 2022. Gabe brought joy and smiles to anyone he met in this world. Over his seven years at United Airlines as a flight attendant, he got to see the world and made many friends along the way. Likewise, his time at Disney Universal built strong bonds with his lifelong friends.

Gabriel lost his battle with mental health and took his life off the Mexican Coast in Mexican waters; we have not yet been able to recover him. It has been over two months since we lost him, but there is still hope we can bring Gabriel back home to Puerto Rico to lay him to rest to his family.  And we are not giving up. Without the recovery of Gabriel, a death certificate will take six years.

Due to the circumstances of Gabriel’s death, there will not be an official funeral being held at this time. We ask you to respect his family’s privacy at this time. However, Gabe has incurred substantial medical debt over the past year, upwards of 40k. Due to the prolonged release of Gabriel’s death certificate which will take 6 years to obtain. Gabe's pension, 401k, and life insurance will also not be released to Gabriel’s Mother for 6 years. In the interim of this long and painful 6 year process, this money will be given to his mother and five brothers to start the process of a funeral plot, stone, and all other costs, including international legal fees dealing with the Mexican Government.

On June 11th 2022, we will be having a Celebration of Life at Liberty State Park by Flag Plaza/Park Office and the neighboring picnic tables. We are organizing this so his friends can spend the day together and remember those unforgettable memories of Gabriel. The event will not be catered officially, but there are grills and tables to eat at. If you attend, you can bring food and drinks to share. (Liberty State Park does not allow "alcohol" to be seen in public. No visible alcoholic bottles or cans please.)