Help us say farewell to our beloved friend Carlos

Today heaven is rejoicing and welcoming back one of their angels but his family, friends and all that knew him weep for this huge loss. To know Carlos is to love him. We have all met people in our lives that have forever left their footprints in our hearts; Carlos was for sure one of these people. His example made us all want to strive to be better. His love and appreciation for life made you want to live with more purpose. All of us that knew him I think would agree with me in saying that there are no exact words to describe the kind of man, son, friend, and above all the kind of husband and father he was but let me try to give you an idea of who our dear friend Carlos Rocuant was and whom I know will always be even on the other side of the veil.

 

At the age of 25, Carlos was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). FSGS which is a rare disease that attacks the kidney’s filtering units, causing serious scarring that leads to permanent kidney damage and failure. Despite the devastating diagnosis, very low odds, countless times being rushed to the hospital, many life threatening moments in the ICU, failed treatments, years of dialysis and a kidney transplant, he always bounced back and constantly surprised doctors and surgeons with his strength, courage and determination to live. While the doctors were telling him he could no longer physically keep a full time job and needed to be on bedrest it was his faith in God, the love and support of his family and his genuine desire to live for his family kept all his doctors in awe as to how he was still standing. He kept his doctors and surgeons on their toes because he was not giving up. In 2020 after almost 20 years of all the ups and downs, doctors found a second kidney and he underwent a second kidney transplant. Little by little we all saw his huge improvement and seeing how this second chance of life was allowing him to finally accomplish so many goals with his family.

However, just when life was finally “normal “and he was able to enjoy so many things again with his family; everything took a different course. About a month ago, he was diagnosed with Covid. After a week of no improvement he was admitted into the hospital. Unfortunately, none of the medications and treatments were helping and his pneumonia continued to get worse. He could barely breathe on his own for more than five seconds at a time and was in a lot of pain. However, even while in the ICU he still managed to have a huge bouquet of red roses and balloons delivered to the love of his life for Valentine’s Day. That’s the kind of husband and man Carlos was. His family was his world and even when he couldn’t physically be present he found new ways to be there for them. His heart stopped beating three times before the doctor pronounced him dead. I have no doubt in my heart that even though the doctors had given up on him that it was his love and desire to be with his family that had him fighting to come back to them every time but his weak and frail body was just not as strong as his will and spirit.

Carlos was a generous, loving and inspirational father, husband, son, friend, and leader who has dedicated to serve and love his family and community. As hard and as painful as this is for all of us that knew and love Carlos there is no way that we can understand the immense pain and suffering of his loving family for this huge and irreplaceable loss. All of us that were blessed and honored to know Carlos and his family know that they were always willing to help others, to serve those in need and to offer a helping hand when you were down. We obviously can’t save this beautiful family from this pain, but we can do a little something to help lighten their burdens. Please join me and all of us that love him by sharing this post and contributing to this Beautiful family to help them cover the excessive medical bills, funeral expenses and to help them get back on their feet. No amount is too small. Let us be there for his wife, kids and family as they have always been there for us.

From all of us that have had the privilege to know and love Carlos, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your selfless love, care and generosity. 

Hoy el cielo se regocija y le da la bienvenida a uno de sus ángeles, pero su familia, amigos y todos los que lo conocieron lloran por esta gran pérdida. Conocer a Carlos es amarlo. Todos hemos conocido personas en nuestra vida que han dejado para siempre sus huellas en nuestros corazones;Carlos era una de esas personas. Su ejemplo hizo que todos quisiéramos esforzarnos por ser mejores. Su amor y aprecio por la vida nos ayudo a querer vivir con un mejor propósito. Todos los que lo conocimos estaríamos de acuerdo en decir que no hay palabras exactas para describir el tipo de hombre, hijo, amigo y sobre todo el tipo de esposo y padre que fue, pero permítanme tratar de darles una idea de quién fue nuestro querido amigo Carlos Rocuant y quien es al otro lado del velo.

A la edad de 25 años, Carlos fue diagnosticado con glomeruloesclerosis focal y segmentaria (GEFS). FSGS, que es una enfermedad rara que ataca las unidades de filtración del riñón, causando cicatrices graves que conducen a daño e insuficiencia renal permanente. A pesar del diagnóstico devastador, las probabilidades muy bajas, las innumerables veces que lo llevaron de urgencia al hospital, los muchos momentos que amenazaron su vida en la UCI, los tratamientos fallidos, los años de diálisis y un trasplante de riñón, siempre se recuperó y sorprendió constantemente a los médicos y cirujanos con su fuerza,coraje y determinación para vivir. Mientras los médicos le decían que físicamente ya no podía mantener un trabajo de tiempo completo y que necesitaba estar en reposo en cama, era su fe en Dios, el amor,el apoyo de su familia y su deseo genuino de vivir para su familia que lo mantuvo en pie y esto sorprendió grandemente a todos sus médicos y cirujanos. En 2020, después de casi 20 años de todos los altibajos, los médicos encontraron un segundo riñón y se sometió a un segundo trasplante de riñón. Poco a poco todos fuimos viendo su gran mejoría y viendo como esta segunda oportunidad de vida le estaba permitiendo por fin cumplir tantas metas con su familia.

Sin embargo, justo cuando la vida por fin era “normal” y podía volver a disfrutar de tantas cosas con su familia; todo tomó un rumbo diferente. Hace aproximadamente un mes, le diagnosticaron Covid. Después de una semana sin mejoría, fue ingresado en el hospital. Desafortunadamente, ninguno de los medicamentos y tratamientos estaban ayudando y su neumonía siguió empeorando. Apenas podía respirar por sí mismo durante más de cinco segundos a la vez y tenía mucho dolor. Sin embargo, incluso mientras estaba en cuidados intensivos UCI, logró que le entregaran un enorme ramo de rosas rojas y globos al amor de su vida por el Día de San Valentín. Ese es el tipo de esposo y hombre que era Carlos. Su familia era su mundo e incluso cuando no podía estar presente físicamente, encontró nuevas formas de estar ahí para ellos. Su corazón dejó de latir tres veces antes de que el médico lo declarara sin vida. No tengo ninguna duda en mi corazón de que a pesar de que los médicos se habían dado por vencidos con él, era su amor y deseo de estar con su familia lo que lo hacía luchar para volver con ellos cada vez, pero su cuerpo débil y frágil no era tan fuerte como su voluntad y espíritu.

Carlos fue un padre, esposo, hijo, amigo y líder generoso, amoroso e inspirador que se ha dedicado a servir y amar a su familia y comunidad. Tan duro y doloroso como esto es para todos los que conocimos y amamos a Carlos, no hay forma de que podamos entender el inmenso dolor y sufrimiento de su amada familia por esta enorme e irremplazable pérdida. Todos los que tuvimos la bendición y el honor de conocer a Carlos y su familia sabemos que siempre estuvieron dispuestos a ayudar a los demás, a servir a los necesitados y a ofrecer una mano amiga cuando estabas deprimido. Obviamente no podemos salvar a esta hermosa familia de este dolor, pero podemos hacer algo para ayudar a aligerar sus cargas. Únase a mí y a todos los que lo amamos compartiendo esta publicación y contribuyendo con esta hermosa familia para ayudarlos a cubrir las facturas médicas excesivas, los gastos funerarios y ayudarlos a recuperarse. Ninguna cantidad es demasiado pequeña. Estemos ahí para su esposa, hijos y familia como ellos siempre han estado ahí para nosotros.

De parte de todos los que hemos tenido el privilegio de conocer y amar a Carlos, te agradecemos desde el fondo de nuestros corazones por tu amor, cuidado y generosidad desinteresada.