When my mom, dad, and my brother Keith died, a part of me died too. It was an honor and privilege to be the daughter of Dan and Irene and the sister of Keith. My brother Kevin and I were blessed to be part of such a kind and loving family. Let me tell you about who we lost:

My mother, Irene Cruz, was my best friend. Whenever anything happened in my life – good or bad – my mom was the first person I wanted to speak to. We spoke every day and she always made time for me and said just the right thing. She had me when she was very young and she made a lot of sacrifices to give me a good life. She always wanted the best for me. Ever since I was a little girl, she encouraged me in everything I did. It was important to her to instill in me the idea that I could achieve anything I set my mind to.

My mother was caring and selfless, took care of everyone, and always put her family’s needs first. I used to say, “Mom, you should do more things for yourself,” but she wouldn’t hear any of it. She didn’t like anyone telling her what to do.

My mom was my rock. I am lost without her and my heart aches to talk to her. I learned so many things from her and I could not have asked for a better mother. If I needed anything, she and my dad would drop everything to come and bring me whatever they thought would be helpful.

They were married for 52 years and were extremely devoted to each other. When my father, Arthur “Dan” Cruz, was young, he would wash his car every day when Irene was walking home from school just to see her walk by. And when he fell in love with my mom, he chose to be my dad. “You will always be my girl,” he would tell me.

My father was fiercely protective of me and I cannot recall a time that he wasn’t there for me. When I went through a divorce, he postponed his retirement so that if I needed any help financially, he would be able to take care of me. He was my absolute hero, the smartest man I’ve ever known. He could fix anything, figure out anything. I was amazed by everything he could do. He was kind and big hearted. He loved animals and even at times when he did not have a dog in the house, he continued to buy dog biscuits and fill his pockets with treats, just in case he might run into a dog that day.

My parents loved their grandchildren just as much as their children. They truly lived their lives for their family and would do anything for us. Every important moment of my life included mom and dad.

Like my dad, my brother Keith had a very tender heart. When we were little, he wanted nothing more than to just hang out with me and my friends. He would even let us dress him up – just so he could stay and play with us. I was seven when he was born. Then when Keith was five, Kevin was born. They were always best buddies and Keith looked out for Kevin. As they grew older, they shared the same friends and they would all gather at my parent’s house. Our home was full of love and laughter.