Her grandmother enters her room one night, tears falling down her face, as she tells her that her cousin passed away. In that moment, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She lays on her bed, in shock, thinking to herself, who could’ve done something so horrible to her cousin.
For sophomore Amber Garcia, that day was one of the worst days of her life. September 22, 2015 was the night of this tragic experience for the Garcia family. To this day, Garcia feels that the whole incident is a nightmare that she’s waiting to wake up from.
“The sound of my grandmother’s cry in the middle of the night is something I never want to hear again,” Garcia said.
Amber will remembers the laughter and the big smile of her cousin Gabriel. She remembers the happiness that he brought to the Garcia family. Gabriel was a loving son, brother and friend to all who knew him. His greatest joys in life were helping those around him and creating freestyle clipper designs. His talent in the field led him to win several trophies and first place awards in barber competitions. He was a student at barber school where he was just short of getting his license. Gabriel’s contagious smile and sense of humor are missed, and he holds a special place in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
“Gabriel was the best barber in town and I will never forget the great talent he had,” one of Gabriel’s customers said.
Gabriel had many friends and would always make new ones every day. So when the terrible news spilled out, it was as if the president had died to some.
“It’s crazy how someone who used to be a huge part of your life, can be gone in a second,” friend of Gabriel, Tomas Flores said.
His friends are left with the grief of Gabriel’s death. They think about the last memory they had with him and cherish it. The moment they found out, they knew that this would be very hard to live with. The thought of Gabriel not being there for family reunions, barbecues and Saturday night parties hurt the Garcia family, but they believe that Gabriel will still be there watching over them.
“I still cant believe he’s gone. He was like a big brother to me. While growing up, we lost contact with each other, but every once in a while, I saw him. He always had a smile on his face. He cared for me like real family. We are real family by heart. Gabriel might be gone, but he will never be forgotten,” Gabriel’s friend Melony Castro said.
Gabriel’s memory and impact remain with the Garcia family and they continue to reflect on the great memories they had with him.
“I will miss my cousin very much. Seeing him gone is still unbelievable to me, but I know that he’s in a better place watching over me and my family,” Amber said.