My father Ruben was a very strong, hard working, generous friendly and humble man. As the heart and main provider of our home his absence has greatly affected our lives & household. With the wound being extremely raw, it has been a very difficult thing to process and deal with. His absence has made a deep impact, it is profoundly felt near and far including the lives of his father, many blood brothers and sisters as well as countless nieces and nephews. Friends and co-workers that got to become like extended family definitely feel his absence and have been nothing but supportive. He was one of the most outgoing and friendly people you’d ever have the pleasure of getting to know. Those who got to know him knew how strong of a person he was and how hard he fought that long, exhausting three-month battle with all the kinds of complicated medical conditions. A blood infection started it all. Which then infected his heart, liver failure, pneumonia & many more health issues. These complications resulted in two strokes and a small brain bleed, leaving him disoriented & very confused about his surroundings and era he was living in. Despite being well taken care of in Salem being in and out of the hospital throughout 3 long & exhausting months his health was in a very critical state. He was then accepted to be transported to UW Medical Center in Seattle for a complicated heart surgery & to receive more advanced medical attention. Every possible bad complications from the operation occurred. He was then intubated, with a machine left to breathe for him, as he spent his final four days unconscious. The doctors had gave us little to no hope for his recovery or return home. Which completely turned our world upside down. 

He leaves behind his wife and three children, including me his daughter—& two sons at home. My mother hasn’t worked or driven since 2000. And us as his children we have jobs but we found out it’s not enough to maintain the comfortable lifestyle we had before or our home. My dad’s job was what kept our home running. My mother is on the path in finding a job and to learn to drive again. The next couple of months will be crucial for us as we try to adjust to this new difficult reality and try to keep our home together.

We are reaching out for support from our community during this incredibly difficult time. Heartfelt donations would be extremely helpful and appreciated while we all try to get back on our feet after our tough loss. Your kindness and generosity will make a real difference for our family as we navigate the challenges ahead.