My family is heartbroken as we share the sudden passing of my beloved father. Up until recently, he was in great health and living the active life he loved. At 71 years old, he went in for a surgery we truly believed he would recover from. We had plans for his healing and the time we would continue to share together — we never imagined we would be facing this loss so soon.
My dad was full of life. He loved riding his bike, walking the boardwalk, and taking long drives just to enjoy the day. He spent most of his life cutting fish and knew everything there was to know about seafood — it was work he took great pride in as he always provided for his family. He had lived down the shore since around 1984 and built a life rooted in hard work, love, and dedication. He was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, and came to Jersey City at about 15 years old to live with his older sister Gloria, where he grew up and built the foundation of the man we all knew and loved. Despite everything he carried in life, he remained a happy, goofy, childlike soul who could make anyone smile. He was also a proud and devoted grandfather. He spent so much time babysitting his granddaughter, Jaylani Sophia, even helping teach her how to walk and speak Spanish. Their birthdays were only four days apart, and they shared such a beautiful bond filled with constant laughter and love. My one-month-old son was also blessed to meet him before he passed — a moment our family will forever cherish.
To me, he was more than a father — he was my best friend and my backbone. He was always there when I needed him, and the emptiness his passing has left is something I’m still trying to process. Losing him so suddenly has shaken our entire family. We are asking for support to help cover funeral and memorial expenses so we can give him the beautiful and dignified farewell he deserves. Any donation, no matter the amount, will help ease the financial burden on our family during this incredibly painful time. We would be deeply grateful for any support, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing our story. Thank you for helping us honor my father’s memory.
My dad was full of life. He loved riding his bike, walking the boardwalk, and taking long drives just to enjoy the day. He spent most of his life cutting fish and knew everything there was to know about seafood — it was work he took great pride in as he always provided for his family. He had lived down the shore since around 1984 and built a life rooted in hard work, love, and dedication. He was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, and came to Jersey City at about 15 years old to live with his older sister Gloria, where he grew up and built the foundation of the man we all knew and loved. Despite everything he carried in life, he remained a happy, goofy, childlike soul who could make anyone smile. He was also a proud and devoted grandfather. He spent so much time babysitting his granddaughter, Jaylani Sophia, even helping teach her how to walk and speak Spanish. Their birthdays were only four days apart, and they shared such a beautiful bond filled with constant laughter and love. My one-month-old son was also blessed to meet him before he passed — a moment our family will forever cherish.
To me, he was more than a father — he was my best friend and my backbone. He was always there when I needed him, and the emptiness his passing has left is something I’m still trying to process. Losing him so suddenly has shaken our entire family. We are asking for support to help cover funeral and memorial expenses so we can give him the beautiful and dignified farewell he deserves. Any donation, no matter the amount, will help ease the financial burden on our family during this incredibly painful time. We would be deeply grateful for any support, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing our story. Thank you for helping us honor my father’s memory.
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