My name is Emilia Romero. I am Mario Romero’s daughter, and I am also the court-appointed executor of his estate.
My dad passed away unexpectedly on October 13, 2024. Losing him crushed me. And what followed made a hard time even more difficult.
After he passed, his girlfriend claimed to be his common-law wife and received an insurance payout from the company she works for… over $36,000.
Despite receiving that money, my father still does not have a headstone.
Months have passed. There is no marker. No memorial paid for. No visible effort made to honor his life. His grave remains unmarked, while the funds meant to help after his death are gone.
On February 12, 2025, I was officially appointed executor of my father’s estate. Just days later, I discovered that the insurance payout had already been issued. I was never notified. Our family received no assistance. I was left to manage his estate, recover his belongings, and grieve my father.
I was able to recover some of my father’s belongings from her. What was returned consisted largely of broken items and materials of little to no value. The only vehicle of my father’s that was turned over to me carried an outstanding lien of approximately $10,000.
This fundraiser exists because the money that should have been used to help lay my father to rest with dignity was not used for that purpose.
I am not asking for anything extravagant.
I am asking for a headstone.
For my father’s name to be permanently marked.
For him to be remembered.
Every person deserves dignity in death. Every child deserves to visit their parent’s grave and see their name.
All donations will go directly toward:
• A proper headstone
• Memorial-related expenses
• Honoring my father the way he should have been honored from the beginning
If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this. Visibility matters. Accountability matters. And my father deserves better than being forgotten.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. Thank you for helping me do what should have already been done.