Hasta Luego, Juan

Juan E Martínez Gómez

It is with the utmost regret I inform you all that last week on Saturday, February 8th, my uncle (father's brother, pictured right) passed away. His name was Juan. I apologize in advance for the somber and solemn subject matter. Let this be a disclaimer that the following message contains sensitive and depressing topics. After enduring a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer for several months and being diagnosed as terminally ill, he ultimately succumbed to the devastating disease. Today I attended his funeral service. This was my first experience with one. Dozens of family members and friends gathered together to grieve such a heartbreaking loss. But they also came to celebrate his life and express their gratitude. He was, and always will be, a great father and a great man. And that is what I hope everyone who knew him and his heart will remember. For me, the event was bittersweet. I felt very sad and angry because a man only 56 years of age, and loved by many, died. But I felt an ounce of joy too. I felt proud to be part of such a large and supportive family. It made the day that much more beautiful. They all surrounded him with a sincere outpouring of love and care; they cried, they hugged, they spoke, they sang, and they prayed. After hearing both my cousin and father struggle to control their emotions as they delivered profound messages to the crowd and after watching others pray over him in his open casket, even I shed a few tears. And I've rarely done that in my entire life. My goal now is to spend more time with and do more for the people that really matter. That includes making a trip to the Dominican Republic this year; I haven't visited there since I was about seven years old (I am 27 now). Despite our personal grievances and setbacks, it's imperative that we devote time and effort to our family (whether or not they are related by blood). And we should never procrastinate and assume those people will be there for a definite amount of time. Because anything can happen and nothing is certain. Life has no guarantees; today we can be healthy and tomorrow we can be ill. When I visited Juan on Friday of last week, he was already in critical condition. He had severe jaundice, he had suffered significant weight loss, he couldn't eat or drink much, he was taking an abundance of pain medication, he couldn't breathe well, he could not walk on his own, and he could no longer speak. But my goodness, he was a fighter. So after saying a prayer in Spanish and before leaving him for the night, I told him: "Ahora mismo no te digo adiós; te digo hasta luego. Yo volveré a mirarte otra vez el domingo." In other words, I said: "Right now I'm not telling you goodbye; I am telling you I'll see you later. I will return to see you again on Sunday." Unfortunately, Sunday came and Juan didn't. I was too late. Let this be a warning to whoever needs to hear it. If you're reading this and you're a human who makes many mistakes like I do, then listen carefully. If you're holding a grudge, abandon it. If you're bound by fear, seek courage. If you're shackled by shame, free yourself. If you're occupied by weakness, ask for strength. If you're distracted by work or school or some other responsibility, find time to make yourself available. If you're overwhelmed by loneliness, reach out to someone. None of those individual feelings are worth more than loved ones. Whatever you do, don't let anything in your life stop you from enjoying time with your family (and conveying your love to them). I am including myself here too. I don't care who you are or what you've done for/to me (or what I've done for/to you). If you are my family, by blood or otherwise, I love you. For whatever reason, if you feel compelled to send me a message or call me, whether you speak English or Spanish (or both) and whether it's been a day or a decade since we last spoke, I will greet you with open arms. Additionally, with consent from Juancito (son of Juan, pictured left) and Wilson (brother of Juan), I intend to use GoFundMe to start a fundraising campaign for Juan and his family this week. All of the proceeds will directly support his immediate family during their management of this especially traumatic crisis. I understand that everyone has their own troubles. So I do not expect anyone to donate. But if you are feeling particularly generous and have the financial means to do so, the option will be available to you. And I assure you I will be the first person to make a donation. Assuming I receive permission, please look out for the post/link soon. I could have, and should have, done more for Juan while he was alive. And I am so incredibly sorry for that. But I can't alter the past or reverse time. However, what I will do is take this opportunity to start making a change for the better now. I'll begin by saying thank you to each and every person who looked after Juan over the course of his life, especially during his final days here on Earth. With all that said, regardless of your religious beliefs (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Agnosticism, Atheism, etc.), I humbly implore you to pray for Juan and his loving family. And if your heart desires, you're welcome to contribute your thoughts/prayers in the comments and share this post. Now, I will say a prayer for Juan. Dear, God. You are Our Father, Our Lord, and Our Savior. You are the Light of the World. We respect, appreciate, worship, and love You. We wish to repent for our multitude of sins. And we come to You now in this time of need for comfort, for guidance, for fortitude, and for peace. We thank You for providing the world with a man of such kindness and purity. We thank You for the countless memories his family shared with him. We ask that You bless him, his family, and his friends. And we call upon You to grant him the most sacred and precious gift of eternal life with You. We will never forget him, and we know neither will You. He was gone from this earth far too soon. But we have faith in You. Your might and power know no bounds or limitations. With You, the impossible becomes possible. So we trust that, although his body is deceased, his soul will continue to live forever. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we pray. Glory to God. Amen.

Juan E Martínez Gómez (29th of May, 1968 - 8th of February, 2025)