Please Help pay for Obed's Funeral Expenses

Obed Isaí Villaronga.

Most of his friends knew him as Debo. His mother lovingly called him Obecillo.

Whatever we all called him - friends and family - we all knew Obed to be a fun-loving and tender-hearted soul. He had a quiet nature, but when he was around those he loved and with those he felt most comfortable, he revealed his true identity as a clever and funny jokester. He loved all of his family and friends, and longed to one day have a family of his own.

My dear brother passed away on June 16, 2021, about one month after his 30th birthday. The cause of his death is still unknown, but he likely passed away in his sleep, and it is suspected to be health-related.

Even though Obed lived in Texas for the last few years of his life, his heart was always in Florida. That’s where he wanted to be. In fact, he wanted to make plans to visit Florida for his 30th birthday, but he never got the chance to make it there.

For that reason, our family believes that the best way to honor Obed and his memory is to pay for his trip back to Florida posthumously and have his funeral services done there, where most of his friends and family live. We would also like to have a burial instead of cremation so that all of his loved ones could have a place to visit him for years to come.

Of course, these plans naturally incur many costs, more than if we simply chose to have all services performed in Texas. But I believe that Obed deserves this, and that if he had a final wish, this would be it - for him to be taken back to Florida where his heart is.

Most people don’t make end of life preparations until old age. However, my brother died so young. None of us were prepared for this - neither emotionally, nor financially. That is why our family is seeking your help.

Here in Texas, Obed’s body would be prepared for transportation. If we can raise the funds to do so, we would like to have a viewing here in Texas for those who got to know him and grew to love him. Hopefully, with the financial backing of his Texas friends, we can make this happen.

Instead of paying for a plane ticket to Florida, you might consider donating so that we can have enough funds for a Texas viewing.

The viewing in Texas alone would be about $600. The body and transportation preparations, including travel, will cost anywhere between $2,000 - $7,000.

In Florida, we will have a viewing, funeral service and finally, the burial. The exact locations for the funeral and burial are still to be determined. The costs for all services in Florida are expected to be anywhere between $3,000 - $6,000.

The large range in possible costs is due to plans being tentative. Our research into funeral services and options is still underway, and as we find out more, the closer we will get to knowing exact pricing.

The past couple of days, I have witnessed an outpouring of love from so many friends and family on Facebook sharing about how much Obed has meant to them. I am moved by seeing how many people Obed’s life has touched. I am not surprised, however. Obed was always that guy - that guy that everybody loves.

Friends and family, with the help of your donation, we can together make Obed’s wish to go back to Florida come true, and hopefully raise enough funds to give us all a chance to say our last goodbyes in person.

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Obed, Rest in Blissful Peace.

We all Love you so much, and I pray that you can feel it from wherever you are.

Your sister,

Milcah Villaronga

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Here is a link to an article about funeral costs, just in case you're interested:

https://www.policygenius.com/life-insurance/how-much-does-a-funeral-cost/