My beautiful wife of 30 years, the mother of my five amazing children, Mercedes Deyanira Van Zandt, died on New Years Day of cancer, peacefully in our home at 60.

Deyanira was a truly incredible wife and mother. She brought tremendous love, charisma, positive energy and happiness to all she met, and always put our children first. She was born in Nicaragua in 1965 and moved to San Francisco at the age of 24. I met her in the Mission after a shift volunteering with the Guardian Angels in 1991. We married on August 13th, 1995 in Sutro Park in the Richmond District. We had our first child, Virginia, in 1998 and bought our home in which we raised our family in 2000.

Throughout the years, Deyanira transformed our home with her many construction projects, which she loved to plan, as well as growing our beautiful garden. She had a great career as a loving caretaker for many children, was an amazing wife, friend, partner and confidant, and was the best mother for my kids I could have dreamed of. Together we visited 5 continents, 17 countries, and over 40 states.

She will live on in my heart forever, and in our children Virginia, Johannes, Valentin, João and Ventura. She touched many lives and brought genuine love, fun and joy to everywhere she went and everyone she met. I’m devastated, but grateful for the wonderful life we had together and all the many cherished memories. I long to see her on the other side and am so grateful to her and happy I married her.

Please consider a donation to help us cover some expenses surrounding her passing and celebration of life. It is planned for Saturday, February 21, 2026.