Raquel was a true angel on Earth, always putting the needs of others before her own. Her love for animals was unmatched, and she always made sure that every furry friend she met felt loved and cared for. She was a disciplined vegetarian by choice yet respected others choices. She never used products tested on animals and supported many anti cruelty organizations. She refused to purchase a pet from a breeder. She was passionate about only adopting an animal needing a home. Raquel's selflessness extended beyond animal welfare, as she was always there for her loved ones in times of need no matter how great the sacrifice. As an example, she left college in Kentucky to be with her sister during a very difficult time. Lucky for me,  this is when we started dating. She loved taking advantage of opportunities to volunteer for charity events and evening social clubs for children. Despite facing difficult challenges in her own life, Raquel always seemed to find her positive spirit and it was very common to see a big, beautiful smile on her face which was very contagious. You couldn’t help smiling back. She projected love and light. To see that smile in photos is one thing but in person it literally touches your soul. She was always genuine and authentic. She loved to have fun and make people laugh with a great sense of humor. She was an extraordinary multi-tasker and extremely organized. A raqstar mom, wife and auntie. 


Raquel’s cute cracky voice, laugh, personality and style was not characteristic of typical American girls. She was definitely unique, one of a kind and adored by many. She literally thought everything was cute and everyone was a cutie pie. She must have been seeing herself in everyone because she was the true cutie pie for sure lol! When I think of love, I think of her soul. She spread love and kindness without even realizing it. It came so naturally. The crazy thing about Raquel is she considered herself to be a plain Jane. I of course saw the opposite as I’m sure the rest of humanity would agree with me!


She was not a very ambitious woman when it came to self interest (except music and concerts) she only wanted to be a cute old lady, loving wife and mother. Those who knew her, knew Raquel was so much more than that. If you know you know. Her kindness, compassion, mindset and generosity inspired many and will continue to do so for years to come.


Although Raquel may no longer be with us, her legacy will live on through the lives she touched and the memories she created. Her impact on the world may have been small in size, but it was immense in terms of the love and kindness she spread throughout her community. In a world where it can often seem like there is too much negativity, Raquel was a shining example of what it truly means to live a good life. Though we may miss her presence in our lives, we can take comfort in knowing that her spirit lives on and will continue to have a positive ripple effect through her story, memory and the lives she saved. She will never be forgotten!


 Raquel's story reminds us that we all have the ability to make a positive impact on the world, no matter how big or small. We can all strive to be a little more like Raquel, putting others before ourselves and spreading love and kindness wherever we go. Her story is a reminder to appreciate the people in our lives who make a difference, and to never underestimate the power of a kind word or a simple act of generosity. Raquel may have been just one person, but she had a massive ripple effect that reached far beyond her individual actions. Her legacy serves as an inspiration to us all to live a life filled with love, compassion, kindness and generosity.


It's important to remember that we all have the power to make a difference in someone's life, no matter how small it may seem. Whether it's a kind word or a thoughtful gesture, our actions can have a profound impact on those around us. Raquel's story is a testament to the power of kindness and serves as a reminder to us all to lead with love and compassion. Let's honor her legacy by spreading kindness wherever we go and making a positive impact on the world, one small act at a time.


Raquel's decision to donate her organs after her passing is a beautiful example of generosity and selflessness. Her decision saved the lives of several individuals, allowing them to continue living and thriving. Raquel's legacy reminds us that we have the power to make an impact in the world even beyond our lifetimes. Organ donation is a powerful way to give back and make a difference in the lives of others, and we can all follow in Raquel's footsteps by considering organ donation as a way to leave a positive legacy. When you consider who Raquel is and her purpose with her time on Earth it is obvious she was an Earth Angel. I pulled this from google and it describes her perfectly…She hits on about 90% of these signs.


Here is a link https://www.kten.com/story/43565394/37-signs-you-are-an-earth-angel


What Does It Mean To Be An Earth Angel? Being an Earth Angel doesn’t mean you are perfect, it doesn’t mean you’re an angel (the angelic path is different from the path of humanity) and it doesn’t even mean that you’re saint-like. Like all of humanity, Earth Angels make mistakes, experience challenges, and feel disconnected at times.Being an Earth Angel means that you’re called at the soul level to help others, spread kindness, have compassion and make a difference on Earth by bringing the light and love of the higher spiritual realms into physical reality.

Here Are The 37 Signs You’re An Earth Angel:.

1 You feel different to those around you, and it doesn’t bother you to feel this way.

2 You can feel just as happy to be on your own as to be with other people.

3 You may have been described as a loner as a child, not that you noticed.

4 You always have an idea or solution to offer and love helping people.

5 You are a fantastic support person in the lives of almost everyone you know.

6 You are always looking for a better way to do something.

7 You rarely ask for help because you have an inner knowing that what you are doing is the right thing. Being helped is sometimes confusing for you.

8 You feel insecure in some of your relationships. You can easily sense if someone is holding back and you get a sense of what they are going through and thinking, even when they don’t say it. Additionally, you sometimes struggle to understand why people aren’t like you.

9 You have a grace that inspires people and you can lift peoples energy and spirit without much effort

10 You accept others wherever they are – even those that some can’t even tolerate

11 You always see a silver lining in every situation and You always see the good in people

12 You think in terms of possibility and potential

13 You have incredible gifts in whatever you put your heart to, the areas of writing, art, music, and healing are of special interest to you.

14 People seek you out to release fears and other painful memories and emotions

15 You aren’t so great about managing responsibilities, time, or boundaries

16 As children, Earth Angels have a tendency to be diagnosed with various cognitive disorders because of their lack of concern for the material world

17 It upsets you to see people in pain. It’s your nature to reach out to those who are suffering. Sometimes this means that you attract people who have a victim mentality.

18 You feel lost when faced with extreme anger and you tend to avoid conflict. You want to experience only happiness so avoid confrontation when possible.

19 You sometimes worry about how your energy impacts others and check in with those around you to see how they are feeling about you. You may even find that people on buses/trains move when you sit next to them, this is because your energy causes them to release their ´stuff´ and they start to feel very uncomfortable

20 It disturbs you when you can’t sense that your loved ones are connected with you.

21 You are not comfortable with your physical body – especially your feet. As an angel, you have trouble staying grounded.

22 Money and riches don’t motivate you or impress you, you accept people for who they are and what they’ve got.

23 Those around you often ask, “Where did you go just then?” because it seems you are often daydreaming. Fading out of conversation, or not paying attention.

24 You would help anyone who asks and often help those who haven’t asked for help. You sense their need before they do.

25 You often provide an alternative or big picture perspective in group settings

26 Competitiveness doesn’t interest you as you want to see everyone win.

27 You can serve others without drawing attention to yourself. You give without being seen and work as an invisible force behind the scene.

28 You are sensitive to urban settings and the reality of modern life

29 You have a tendency to feel different or even alienated from others. You can remember being teased as a kid because of your different interests and behavior

30 You have an amazing sense of humour that seems to help you cope with difficult situations.

31 You have a tough time being a part of crowds because you feel overwhelmed by the energy of so many different people.

32 You grew up feeling that you couldn’t relate to your immediate family. You feel less connected with your physical family or you were sent specifically to an emotionally distant or dysfunctional family in order to help them.

33 People you don’t know very well tend to tell you incredibly personal things about themselves.

34 People tell you that you look younger than you are.

35 You may have a history of addiction in your family.

36 You have a clear and strong sense of purpose. Even though you may struggle to know how to manifest this purpose on Earth, you know you must work to help, teach, and heal others.

37 You love the idea of freely spreading love, compassion, and guidance.

Raquel was born 6/6/1978.


She was born and raised in Chicago IL spending her early childhood in a 2
flat within a mid city neighborhood, Horner Park, now taken over by hipsters and yuppies. She lived with her mother, father, sister, two dogs and a few birds. Her family eventually moved into a house on the far Northwest side near Superdawg, when Raquel was in fourth grade. She attended John C. Coonley elementary school. Her sister Rita had the following to say about Raquels childhood.


“As a kid, Raquel had a huge sweet tooth. Her favorite go to candy for a long time was Sour Patch Kids. She always had a box of those or Twizzlers. One time she ate so many Sour Patch Kids, she was scared that her taste buds were going to fall off!


As she is 5 years younger than me, we had a slight difference in TV shows that we watched and enjoyed. She liked Punky Brewster, Full House, Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to name a few from the 80s. But the ones we enjoyed together were all the Saturday morning cartoons, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Thunder Cats, Different Strokes, Knight Rider, Cosby Show and so many more. But one of the shows we loved most was Saturday Night Live, especially the era that had Eddie Murphy. Of course we loved his Gumby and Stevie Wonder characters. But our favorites were his Mr. Robinson and Buckwheat characters, and most of all, James Brown – Too Hot in the Hot Tub skit.  She (and I) would laugh and laugh at all of his skits, even as adults when re-watching them together.


As with TV shows, we shared the same favorite movies. I know she loved, loved, LOVED Gremlins as a younger kid along with Goonies and Never Ending Story.  When she got a little older her favorites were The Lost Boys and Terminator.


All of us at a young age are forced to listen to the music that our parents listened to.  But when we get old enough, we branch out and listen to what’s popular on the radio stations and what our friends are listening to. Along with almost everyone in the 80s, we loved Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince with so many others. I remember we would go in my parents’ bedroom with a small “boom box” and record our favorites on blank tapes from the radio stations. We would sing along with a fake microphone and dance around. 


As I got into 8th grade and especially high school, I was exposed to Ozzy, Metallica, Iron Maiden and other heavier bands. Since our bedrooms were right across from each other, she was exposed to them too and listened to them with me. But our musical tastes changed forever when I heard Pearl Jam’s Ten album my first year in college (in ’91). A friend of mine said that I had to hear this band. So I put on his headphones and listened to the first 30 seconds of Once and was hooked. I don’t remember how soon after I got the cassette tape, but as soon as I got it home, I told Raquel she had to listen to this band. She was 13 at the time and the rest is history.  As I said in another post, I influenced her musical tastes when we were younger.  But as we got older, she introduced me to music that I may have never been exposed to otherwise, and I am so grateful for that.”


Her childhood best friend Sarah had the following to say.


“There were so many things that bonded us together, Raquel and I. From the moment she transferred to our school in the fourth grade, we became instant best friends. We shared countless memories, but one of our favorite rituals was having lunch at my house watching Days of our lives and then after school walking to her house and indulging in the same delicious snack. Twix, string cheese, and Dr. Pepper were our go-to treats. However, what made it even more special was the straw with a bend. Raquel had to have one, and I was always secretly jealous because we never had straws at my house. It seemed like such a small thing, but to us, it was a symbol of joy and friendship.

After finishing our school day, we would rush to Raquel's house for snack time. Her mom was always there to greet us, along with their adorable white, curly-haired dog named Brandy. Brandy's presence added an extra layer of happiness to our afternoons.

Our Friday nights were reserved for our special outings with Raquel's dad. Every week, we would head to Peppes, a local restaurant, and order the same thing: granachos and rice. Before reaching Peppes, we made a stop at the bank and a little grocery store. The grocery store had a distinctive smell, one that I can still remember to this day. It wasn't an unpleasant scent, but rather a nostalgic aroma that created an indelible memory in my mind.

Raquel's dad was always generous and insisted on paying for our meals. I would offer to contribute, but he never accepted my money. It was his way of showing kindness and care, making me feel like a part of their family. Looking back, I often wonder if I even had enough money to pay for our meals, but it didn't matter. Those moments at Peppes were about more than just the food; they were about the companionship and the bond we shared. I'm grateful for those.

Raquel introduced me to Tetris and I can still picture her room with a television. It was a luxury I didn't have in my room, we spent a lot of time in her room, long late night sleepovers hearing Rita staying up late and hearing Rita laughing and I mean a laugh that was infectious to Jay Leno, and us up late watching Saturday Night live. Our favorite one was Simon, I can still hear her singing “hello my name is Simon and I like to do drawings, come do drawings with me.” And “Pencils”. Nevertheless, we spent hours playing Tetris together, singing, laughing, and creating memories that would last a lifetime.

As we progressed through high school, our friendship remained strong, but life began to change. Responsibilities and new experiences pulled us in different directions. Despite the changes, we still held onto the memories of our shared childhood adventures.

One of our favorite activities was going trick-or-treating on Halloween. We would arm ourselves with pillowcases, determined to gather as much candy as possible. We would stay out late, often being the last ones to return home. It was an annual tradition that we cherished, filled with laughter, creativity, and a shared love for all things sweet.

Though life took us on separate paths, the bond we formed in those early years remained unbreakable. The memories of our after-school snacks, Peppes dinners, church activities, summer camp at timberlee, retreats and countless adventures still bring a smile to my face. Raquel will always hold a special place in my heart, the friendship we shared will forever be cherished”

Photos from her childhood through eight grade.

Raquel ended up going to the same high school as me.  I was a grade above her even though we were only 6 months apart in age. I started school early and seemed to always be the youngest in my classes. I didn’t meet Raquel until I was 16. She ended up making many cherished lifelong friends with an amazing group of kids who typically bonded through music. concerts, a lame high school and 90’s culture. They often hung out at Foster Park as a meeting place. I also hung out with the same group at times since my band practiced across the street. Those were incredible moments with cool people making great memories. The group always seemed to get harassed by the infamous undercover police unit Carol and Lou. Literally every day… It was routine. Our friend Nichole shared a funny related story with Raquel getting searched when she first met the group. 


“So the day came, the newer kids were with us and we were going to hang out at the park. We brought a guitar, we are going to have an acoustic jam sing along, smoke cigarettes, and just be the cool kids that we were, but as they pulled up, we weren't sure if we had explained the rules about leaving all contraband back at Scott's house.  The undercover cops? I think they could sense that we were a little nervous, and I think they started to get excited because they FINALLY found something on one of us other than cigarettes and a tiny bit of weed. Carol motions to Lou that she thinks she might have something, and it almost seems like they're getting ready to cuff Raquel. Carol reaches into Raquel's pocket, a look of equal triumph and concern, because I'm not sure they ever knew what to do if they caught us with something, and pulls out a baggie with a big ass pickle, most likely from Elliott's or somewhere, like the big ones from that giant barrel they had. They just asked her what the hell it was, and she said "a pickle," then they asked why she had it, she just said "I like pickles and I get hungry" I don't think I will ever forget that.


This story is funny to me… Raquel had always been obsessed with pickles! One of her biggest pet peeves is when a sandwich didn't come with a side of pickles and that never changed! I always gave her my pickles and in return she would order her sandwiches with bacon on the side and hook me up,  despite being a vegetarian. She was cool like that.


Raquel’s friend Debbie is the one who introduced her to the group. They hung out a lot in particular as they had much in common. They were always seen together out and about. Debbie shared one of her favorite adventures with Raquel.


“One of my favorite memories with Raquel was in July 1995. Pearl Jam (our favorite band) was playing at Soldier Field and neither of us were able to get tickets. We showed up anyway with cash in hand hoping to get tickets from a scalper once we got there. We were wandering around the parking lot yelling, "Anybody have tickets for sale? We need two!" and eventually this really drunk, slurring girl stumbled up to us and told us she didn't have tickets but she knew where we could get some and if we gave her a dollar she would tell us. So we gave her the dollar and she told us to go to Will Call and say our name was Mary Doneski and that we had two tickets waiting for us. I decided to be Mary since I look far more Polish than Raquel (because I'm actually Polish), told the clerk I was Mary, and she handed us two 2nd row tickets. We couldn't believe it worked. We were sitting right in front of Mancow (the DJ). Apparently Mary won tickets in a radio contest and wasn't going to go. It was a great show and easily one of the best times I had with Raquel.” 


I met Raquel for the first time at Foster Park in Chicago at the picnic bench. I was 16 and she was 15, I’m thinking 1994 maybe? I immediately took notice of the new girl hanging around after band rehearsal. I noticed her shy,  authentic personality and she was absolutely adorable, I loved her smile and laugh. She was a hard core Pearl Jam fan, really into music and it showed.. Her favorite bands included Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Tool and Hole. Basically grunge, alternative, heavy rock and some metal. She also loved Madonna, Prince and Elton John. She has been to many concerts and it wasn't uncommon for her to go alone. We both were obsessed with the cartoon Beavis and Butthead lol! I instantly took a liking to her but we were only friends as she was dating another in the group. I am pretty sure I had a girlfriend at the time. There are many great stories and adventures from those days. I am hoping people will share more on her memorial site... 

The only people I recall she didn't care for were Carol and Lou, the aforementioned police duo. I learned this when I found a journal she kept during those times. One thing for sure was clear in her writings. She loved and cherished her friends and family tremendously! She cared so much for everyone in her life and always wished the best for them no matter how she was treated in return. Her love and passion for music and animals were far beyond anyone else I have ever known. She was the first vegetarian I met. Never pushed her ways on others. I'm pretty sure she was an empath for animals and very passionate about anti-cruelty. In her journal she documented a cool story about a Hole concert she attended by herself at 15 years old and made her way front and center. Courtney Love did a stage dive and Raquel was one of many to catch her! Everyone else fell over but Raquel was able to hang on and the last one standing. That is so freaking cool! I will probably share that under stories. I know she wouldn't mind. It’s pretty badass. She also mentioned she got to see Courtney and Kurt’s baby girl Frances Bean being taken care of by Drew Barrymore on the side stage, noticing she had Kurt's eyes. What a cool experience!

Raquel had a part time job working at the same factory as her parents to help support her music addiction. Her absolute favorite song was "Starla" by Smashing Pumpkins which is the first song that plays on her memorial site www.raquelslegacy.com

Raquel lived kind of far from Foster Park and I was one of the few who had a car. I did not get an allowance from my parents like other kids, so I was always broke. I got a job just to pay for the gas, that beast was thirsty. I gave rides to my friends when I could. I gave her a ride home multiple times and never once asked for gas money. Sometimes we would “party in the woods" like CaIdwell and Forest Glen forest preserves.  Anyway we were all hanging out at the Forest Glen picnic shelter one night. She was with her boyfriend and they had a lot of beer. I asked for one but they were being stingy. I will never forget their reaction… Both threw their arms around the beers and pulled them close saying “ No! get your own mooch! " I didn’t expect that coming from such a sweet girl but after all those rides home… I was really disappointed. Anyway the cops chased us away and their beer was confiscated! I laughed at them and told them to ask for rides from someone else haha. We didn’t talk as much after that… We were still friends but it was different for sure. Around fall of 1995 I noticed she wasn’t around anymore, I learned she moved in with family in Kentucky so she could focus on graduating high school. I failed to mention, we went to the same Chicago public high school named Taft. I never saw her there though. I myself rarely showed up. You see, at the time Taft was a terrible school. It felt like a prison. For example, all the windows in the classrooms and cafeteria were stained yellow so you could not see outside. Most teachers did not care about the students. I would cut school for weeks straight before my parents even found out. It was a joke. To make things worse, our classes were part of a failed experimental program called “Schools Within Schools”. What a disaster! Raquel struggled with the pitfalls of Taft and some personnel issues. She made a wise decision and moved in with family down in Kentucky. She relocated to a small town near Pikeville, a couple hours from Lexington near the border of Kentucky and Virginia. Pretty much where the Hatfields & McCoys fued took place She made this choice to focus on and finish high school. She graduated and continued onto college. I ended up leaving Taft early and got my GED, joining the work force full time. Taft was very disappointing for us

If you can think of a fun or cool story to share about her during this or any other time, please consider sharing, under the stories section of her memorial website, www.raquelslegacy.com , many people would appreciate it! There is a releated slideshow after this entry. If you have any photos to ahare we could add them. Thank you.

Not many pictures from those years. If you have any photos from around this time please share!

I don’t know much about her time in Kentucky other than she did a lot of growing as a person during her time there. For her senior year of high school she lived with family and made some solid friendships. I have heard only some fascinating stories about her time there and what she told me. We are all hoping to hear more from old friends and family but In the meantime I will paraphrase what I can remember… Of course, some things need to be kept discreet, but I can assure you Raquel lived it up and left her mark.

Obviously she made a wise decision leaving Taft and Chicago all together to get back on track. She successfully graduated and moved onto college at the University of Pikeville. Socially she flourished, coming out of her shell eventually. She made a lot of solid friendships through her cousins and college roommates. From what I learned,  she arrived timid and shy but quickly adapted and overcame all that. In fact she more than thrived. She changed mindsets, music taste and something also changed within her or became unleashed. A very close and dear friend stated to me that they initially connected and bonded over similar personnel struggles. They helped each other become better people, forming a lifelong friendship while building each other up. He explained “Raquel just needed a little makeup, style and confidence to shine. We helped her with that and and boy did she find it!  Her personality came bursting through, shining her light on the world. She was the life of the party everywhere we went.  Raquel became a rockstar.” 


People gravitated to her and she became a social butterfly. She affected and forever changed the lives of many people. As an example… One of her roommates, Amanda, wrote a story on her memorial website and mentioned  


“Raquel was one of the new girls that we didn’t know. As we soon found out Raquel was one of the most funniest, loving, giving and music loving person we’d ever met. I felt by her like she’d been our friend forever. That’s just how easy it was to be Raquel’s friend. And a good friend at that. Lol. We’d be out in her car and during these times she loved Fleetwood Mac Chains. I heard that song so much it’s hilarious. I remember coming into the dorm room and she was blasting Nine Inch Nails. I had never heard them but I’ve loved them ever since she introduced me to them. When I hear these songs to this very day I’m reminded of my sweet friend”  


Her cousin  BJ wrote the following…


“Raquel was a cousin I didn't get to see very often. Maybe once a year. But, all that changed in 1995 when she moved in with my sister, parents and I to finish her last year of high school in Kentucky. It was almost like an episode of Lost In Space or Green Acres for her at first I'm sure, leaving the metropolis of Chicago and stumbling into po-dunk Pike County, Kentucky. When I close my eyes and envision her in my head I still see her in the same outfit she favored that year. Brown corduroy jeans and a Nine Inch Nails t shirt. The heaviest music at that point that I was familiar with was likely Bon Jovi (I blame my sister). That changed drastically as the days and weeks went by with Raquel under our roof. She showed us much more than music. She taught my dad what a vegetarian was even if he was confused why someone would be a vegetarian for weeks. She was kind and was immediately loved by everyone at her new school. I even recall a friend of mine being like "hey, your cousins seems so cool, hook me up." However, I held Raquel in high regard and that wouldn't happen. 


My room was right next to the room her and my sister shared. In that room is where I first heard The Smashing Pumpkins. Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, and slews of other bands. I remember going to school one day just singing "Lemon yellow sun, arms raised in a V"  over and over all day because it's the only lyrics to the song I knew. Music changed my whole life, and she was the sole person responsible for getting me into music, albeit to her unknowingly at first. Fast forward to 2003, Raquel and Gino actually helped me navigate Chicago and make it to my first large music festival. (Summer Sanitarium, Metallica, Linkin Park, Deftones, Limp Bizkit and Mudvayne) Since then I've seen 1000s of bands and hundreds of music festivals. Even started my own music website reviewing and interviewing bands etc. I still feel like I owe it all to her for helping me fall in love with music.”  


This website he is referring to is called Metal Nexus. 34,000 followers on Facebook alone and interviewing very well known bands… What a great ripple effect!


Forward to 1998. Raquel was more than halfway through college at the time she decided to move back to Chicago to be with her sister who was going through a rough patch. It was very important for Raquel to be there for her. Lucky for me! She came back and was the one that saved me


If you can think of a fun or cool story to share about her during this or any other time, please consider sharing, under the stories section of her memorial website, www.raquelslegacy.com many people would appreciate it!

COLLEGE COLLAGE - Wonderwall

I have not seen Raquel since 1995. My band just finished performing a show at The Gateway in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago. It was an epic and memorable show for us. (If I’m not mixing up the shows in my head) I remember the first row of seats in the theater were damaged from the moshing lol! Very high energy!  Afterwards, kids were asking for autographs. I remember we signed a seat cushion that broke off . After our set we packed up gear and headed to where most people were congregating between bands. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What a crazy awesome surprise! There was Raquel! She was absolutely stunning and glowing! She stood out in the crowded room. I was hesitant to approach and hug her because I was super sweaty from playing drums but at the same time was  feeling ultra confident since we just played one of our best shows yet and she was there to see it! She didn’t seem to mind though or at least pretended. When she started talking I immediately noticed she was much more outgoing and bubbly than I remember. She kept on flashing that amazingly gorgeous smile . She was wearing a hint of makeup and form fitting clothes, not afraid of showing some skin (like a midriff or crop top?) revealing her tattoos. She was radiating, I mean beaming with confidence! The opposite of what I remember. She was drop dead gorgeous! Her personality seemed much bigger and more textured as well. Like her Chicago roots intertwined with a slight soft accent of southernish backcountry vibes that she picked up while in Kentucky. I last saw her wearing baggy jeans, an oversized Pearl Jam shirt and no makeup but she was still super cute to me then. Can’t remember what was said but I do remember the feeling and she had me laughing and gushing at the same time. The girl is definitely one of a kind. I don’t know what happened to her in Kentucky but I loved it and instantly fell head over heels for her. As fate would have it, I did not have a girlfriend! 


A few weeks went by then I asked her friend Debbie to invite her to a 4th of July party my band played out in Antioch, Illinois. I was happy to see her show up with Debbie. I remember showing off on the drums trying to impress her lol! It seemed every dude was after her at that party but I was the lucky one I guess. I asked her to walk with me. That night under the fireworks, two huge music nerds connected when we had our first kiss. We clashed teeth during that first kiss which gave us something to laugh about for years to come. That kiss felt magical though. Maybe we were a little tipsy or whatever, but I knew right away it was life changing.


Raquel and I had such a great time dating. Since that kiss we were almost always together. Our first actual date was pretty cliche, we went to see the  movie Armageddon. She saved that ticket stub . She literally saved everything!  We took a couple epic trips together, our first cruise, we went to many concerts, stand up comedy shows, went to mostly all social and family gatherings together. We were inseparable! We even got suckered into buying a timeshare on a trip to Florida . I was kind of a wild child at the time and she was the one who could actually tame me and help keep me grounded most of the time. She had such a calming energy about her. We evened each other out and had some weird balanced connection going on. She was my biggest supporter and always helped with the band ventures, helped me get through EMT and paramedic schooling. She helped me realize my dreams of becoming a firefighter. I remember she bought me a desk on my birthday so I can study properly. She was always the best and most thoughtful gift giver. Raquel was my soulmate, we were meant to come together and do incredible things for each other. I have so many amazing and cherished memories with her!


It wasn’t always perfect of course. I broke up with her at least a couple times because I felt I was losing my identity and going soft . I felt she was rubbing off on me too much. We were starting to become too much like each other and that scared me. I came to my senses because I realized she was and still is the best part of who I am. I learned a lot from her, especially kindness, love, compassion and respect

The first couple pictures are from 7/4/1998 when we first came together and started dating 

 We were dating approximately three and a half years when we found out she was pregnant. Our lives changed forever. I literally just finished EMT Paramedic schooling. We were pretty young but it was obviously meant to be and we figured out how to make it work! We were scared and excited at the same time. Raquel was an entry level orthodontic technician when we first started dating. She and I took on a couple more jobs each, sold some of our things, saved as much as we could and with a little help from her dad we were able to put a down payment on a small condo near O'hare Airport in Schiller Park, IL. We decided to learn our baby’s gender so we can pick a name and decorate the baby’s room. We found out we were having a girl, and decided on the name Melody June Colucci. Melody resonated with both of us, being such music nerds. Although not completely with Raquel initially. However, she was all about it after she dreamed she had a baby named Melody! Her middle name June was after Raquel’s mother but the cool thing is, she ended up arriving in June as she came earlier than expected. Aside from the ortho office, Raquel also worked at Blockbuster video and an Italian restaurant. She worked as long as possible while pregnant, pretty much until Melody arrived which was sooner than expected.  I worked for two private paramedic services and took on many odd side jobs as able. 

 I had a feeling the baby was coming soon. I remember coming home from shift and found Raquel was literally deep cleaning all the inside cabinets with a toothbrush to get in the corners of the cabinets . She was so determined and focused. She loved a clean home but this was on another level for sure . I've never seen a place so clean before, almost sterile lol! She was definitely nesting! I just learned about that from a book I was reading and that’s exactly what it was. Not even two weeks later Melody was born! It was a crazy yet a life defining moment… June 26th, 2002 we went to the hospital in the very early morning because the amniotic sac that holds and protects the baby started leaking. The hospital had to induce labor. Melody had a reaction to the epidural shot. Her heart rate dropped to below 60 BPM. At one point it dipped to the high 40’s which is extremely bradycardic (slow) for a fetus / newborn. It should be between 120 and 160 if I remember correctly. Not good! The doctor ordered an emergency c-section and rushed her into the operating room. Just before he made the incision, Melody’s heart rate kicked up to normal range! Thankfully he noticed and asked the surgical team to take a step back. He called off the emergency intervention and Raquel delivered our daughter soon after. Melody was born at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL @ 6:31 PM. She weighed 7 lb 3 oz and was 18.5 inches. 

 We worked it out so she can have three months maternity leave. I was working so much during that time so I missed a lot but to my surprise Raquel kept a very detailed journal thankfully! I am so happy to have found that! I found it the first week after we said goodbye to her. It was supposed to be a gift for Melody but she guided me to it when I desperately needed it. I got to experience those precious  moments I missed through her eyes and thoughts. All the details I
missed out on . She started with her pregnancy and she continued it until Melody took her first steps

 Raquel was very worried and concerned about being a good mom but she crushed that role! She was a Raqstar mom! Of course she became Melody’s biggest supporter and gave our child so much love and instilled some incredible values. She did such an amazing job as a mother all while working a full time job! She was very humble about it so I will brag for our Raqstar, about the woman Melody has become…  (I know this is jumping ahead but…)


Melody was met with and overcame many challenges the universe presented her. Despite this and with the help of Raquels diligent efforts the kid is absolutely thriving. She received a score on her ACT of 35! For those who don't know, that is one away from a perfect score! She was accepted into her first choice, one of the best rated schools in this country. Barrett the Honors College at ASU! Melody is already making history being a founder of the officially recognised Neurodiverse Devils! The group was able to secure funding through the university to help grow membership to 100 students in its first year. She continues to excel and crush it despite the many challenges she faces on the daily. Double majoring in Sustainability and Geography with a minor in Spanish. She is a world traveler winning scholarships to study abroad in Germany, Italy and Spain. She is absolutely killing it and just getting started! She is obviously destined to do great things and help change the world for the better. In addition Melody is beyond driven, creative, strong, armed with her mothers looks, kindness, compassion and sense of humor. She will be an unstoppable force. Just before she passed, Raquel got the chance to witness Melody perform a duet on stage at ASU where she sang and played guitar simultaneously for the first time in front of people to a crowd of over 200 people. She was so proud!

 When Raquel returned to the work force after her maternity leave, she started with a new dental office which became like a second family and remained so for.. I’m  guesstimating 14 years full time?! She tried to leave but they refused by offering more pay and incentives to stay. Raquel was incredibly dependable,  extremely organized, excelled at multitasking and always professional. Because they recognized and appreciated her value, we were able to get into a bigger townhome in a nicer area and eventually into our first house on private property!  It meant a long commute for us (over an hour), however, she negotiated travel pay and a four day work week so it all worked out! It was worth it to have actual property, no neighbors above or below! Best of all, no HOA! 


A lot of change happened in such a short amount of time. We took that big risk financially when we purchased the home knowing we would struggle initially. It was a huge goal and top priority to make a great homestead for Melody. 


 We successfully closed on our home in Lake in the Hills, IL  October of 2004. It was a dream come true for us! We never imagined we could live in a house on a lake. It was surreal initially! It needed a lot of work but we were up for the challenge to make a forever home for our family. Time was flying by. We went from living separately with our parents, to purchasing a condo near O'hare in Schiller Park. Sold the condo and mortgaged a townhome in Roselle…, Then sold the townhome to make the ultimate move to our single family home, all in 2.5 years!  Life was moving fast between working so much, raising our child, fixing up and taking care of our house. We were always super busy. We had help from her mom whom watched Melody when we were both working. We were very grateful for our situation. 


Despite being a Raqstar mom, working full time with an hour long commute, Raquel still found some time to volunteer for charity work and with children's social clubs. She was always on top of Melody’s extracurricular activities, clubs and camps. Making sure Melody had a great childhood and challenging education! Raquel did not speak Spanish herself, yet she believed it was very important for Melody to learn starting early. Melody was enrolled in dual language curriculums from grade school through high school. She is still studying the language in college. Melody recently returned from a semester in Spain and thrived being immersed in the Spanish culture. She was awarded scholarships through the college which helped cover the cost thankfully.  I know Raquel is still guiding her and super proud of the accomplishments.


I know I jumped ahead again, but I can’t help it. I was excited to share that goodness. I am so proud of both of them!


About a year later in December of 2005, her father became very sick and passed away, just before retiring. It was very sad and difficult for Raquel to process. She was severely stressed from being so involved with that and also helping her mom navigate those difficult times. It was devastating. On top of all that weight on her shoulders, this was around the time her migraines started getting worse and more frequent…


 Shortly after dealing with all that heavyness and darkness, her sister became pregnant with our first niece! It seemed there was never going to be a good time to propose marriage but with this latest news it felt right.


I asked Raquel to come along on an adventure with some friends to go camping and kayaking on 4th of July weekend near the Kentucky and Tennessee border. It was for a long weekend. She really did not want to be the only girl and she definitely was against leaving Melody that long. I had big plans and it took a lot of convincing without ruining the surprise that awaited. She finally gave in and agreed thankfully. We went on the adventure starting with camping and exploring Buffalo Rock State Park.

We spent a whole day kayaking down the beautiful river. It was so much fun, like a giant floating party. Lots of sandbars and rope swings, wild animals and amazing nature. A world away from Illinois lol! We explored and hung out in a cave and camped on the riverside. At one stop we hiked a cliff towering above the river equivalent to a three story building? People were cliff jumping. I assumed we were just checking out the view. When we made it up our friends started jumping off into the river! I was kind of an adrenaline junkie but this was really high so I decided not to. It would be a miserable ride back and my plans would be ruined if one of us got hurt. I guess being responsible for someone else changed me lol! I didn’t expect this but she did it!!! Welp… I joined her. That was absolutely insane and memorable!


Next stop was Beale Street in Memphis. We all hung out on the strip and then I invited her to take a horse drawn carriage ride down to the river with me being all romantic and stuff, that’s where I planned to propose. We never made it to the river…  A storm approached fast! We were forced to turn back.The wind picked up fiercely!  I was not going to let this ruin my plan. While rushing back in the open carriage I got down on my knee and proposed… she was completely taken back and surprised. She said yes! And also… “About time!”   She was sooooo happy and excited. I asked her if she was glad she decided to come. I will never forget the way she was looking at me She was swept off her feet but not from the wind… When we got back to Beal Street we all celebrated!


On  August 18th, 2006 our first niece Kailie was born! They formed an amazing bond and have always been very close. Kallie became like a sister to Melody. Things continued to get better.


A couple months later 11/2006, I was recruited by a nearby city Fire Department as a probationary firefighter/paramedic. Good starting salary and benefits with lots of opportunity for growth. Now was a perfect time to get hitched! We decided to get married at the courthouse when I finished the fire academy…We were not feeling a big stressful wedding and her dad would not be there to walk her down the aisle. We saved a lot of money and did a much needed epic honeymoon instead! This was more our style anyway and so very necessary for us. 


 We had a low key Hawaiian luau themed reception at our home which encouraged us to finally finish up many of the outstanding projects. It was all very memorable and the honeymoon was the biggest travel adventure her and I ever did together. We appreciated the amazing time together. We booked a balcony room on the new Norwegian cruise ship, Pride of America! Visiting all the main islands we rented a car at each port to really explore them, making incredible memories.  We were so grateful for our decision! It was EPIC for us!

A beautiful moment captured

Raquel and I were married for almost 15 years and still in love. Together for 24 years and friends for 30. I am very fortunate and grateful for our amazing roller coaster life together and the memories we created!  


In all that time Raquel never let up on her love for music. Music was a life force getting her through the dark moments and enhancing the good times. She appreciated the art form more than anyone I knew. Definitely a bigger fan than I, and I am a musician! Raquel attended many concerts and festivals with her sister Rita, friends, Melody, myself and even flying solo at times. That torch has been passed to Melody by the way… Mel has already lost count lol! I’m pretty sure Raquel was well over 200 if I had to guesstimate! She was obsessed and collected soooo many ticket stubs, tshirts, cd’s and autographs supporting her favorite artist and bands..


 Our marriage was great and our extended family kept growing. She became a beloved Auntie to three more nieces and two nephews.  Brooke, Mylah, Madi, and Leo. Unfortunately, she did not get to meet her newest nephew, Jackson. She missed him by mere weeks sadly


  Raquel remained true and authentic to her ways throughout the years. Beyond selfless, kind, compassionate, thoughtful and generous. She always put everyone else before her own needs and desires. She never forgot anyone's birthday and was the most thoughtful gift giver. Her wrapping skills were on point and extremely meticulous.  She put so much time and love into the details, like it was an artform, You almost felt bad opening the perfectly wrapped and decorated gifts. For the holidays she loved to bake her delicious go to’s and host family gatherings while Melody was younger. She made sure our child was surrounded by family and love as much as possible. Her “tacos” (really tostadas and her mom’s recipe), were kind of a big deal. If you know you know. She loved to make them whenever we had guests and for special occasions.. She even made them for my squad at the firehouse which was super cool and much appreciated. Her mashed potatoes were insanely good! Best I ever had. Even though she was a vegetarian, Raquel made a picture perfect glazed ham for us every Thanksgiving as tradition. Her and Melody loved baking cookies together during the holidays and had their traditional dance routine for the song “All I want for Christmas” every time it came on. Very cherished memories we will never forget, And those smells… Mmmm those amazing smells…So much love went into her cooking and baking, just like her gift wrapping.


 Things were not always peachy of course. I am not going to dwell on the negative but there are some things that played a significant part in her life story. For example, as mentioned before. Not long after her dad passed Raquel began to suffer terrible migraine headaches that came out of nowhere. Medications would not help unfortunately. Only time and rest. They were debilitating when they hit her. Sometimes they would last for days. She also developed a thyroid disorder which made her immunocompromised. She would become ill often. Good days became less common as time went on so we definitely took advantage of them.


  After a few years we tried to have another child. It was not meant to happen for us. In hindsight, this is a good thing as that child would be entering teen years without a mother.  Not much longer after letting go of that dream, her cousin Dean passed away. This is the second person close to her that passed just prior to retiring…


 Around 2014 I was on a severe downward spiral dealing with the effects of first responder PTSD, anxiety and depression which was worsened by an unsupportive work environment. I ended up I carrying that home and it started becoming a problem. Raquel was very understanding and supportive, I don’t know how she put up with me those days… I ended up leaving my career behind after 15 years of being a Paramedic and 9 as a Firefighter, my dream job. Our family was much more important to me! We struggled in every way possible for quite some time. We remained a solid, united and supportive team through dark and difficult times and our bond grew even stronger because of it. She was our Raq! She was the light that carried us through those dark times.

In 2016 there were some improvements at this point, I was trying everything to get better during the last couple years. I continued therapy and counseling, medications, bio neuro feedback, yet only minimal improvement.


 Raquel brought up a major concern…I was a depressed wreck. Felt like a huge failure letting my family down as we struggled. I wore it on my sleeve and was setting a terrible example for Melody. It seemed I was always surrounded by many triggers and reminders of terrible incidents since we lived in the town next to the community I served. It was obvious major change was needed and she called it. 


Raquel brought up the idea to consider moving to Arizona. We always dreamed of moving to a warmer climate when we retire. Arizona was much more affordable than Illinois and averages over 300 days of sunshine per year. That's a lot of Vitamin D! She must have been researching this for a while, she had all her ducks in a row before bringing up the idea. Raquel was able to address all of my concerns being armed with vast knowledge on the subject of relocating. Where she sold me on further exploring the idea was her mindset… Aside from improving my health, she questioned if we would even get the chance to retire and that was understandable considering her father and cousin. Almost like she knew or her intuition was very strong. That still blows my mind to this day. I really appreciate that she fully trusted her intuition and I agreed with her compelling argument. 



 We visited Arizona and fell in love with beautiful State 48.  It was so diverse, like a different world and just felt right. I was impressed with how prepared Raquel was putting everything together. We were sold on the idea but we have a child whose opinion greatly mattered. While out exploring neighborhoods, Melody asked if we were thinking of moving to Arizona. We answered back by telling her we were considering it for when we retire, a bs half truth! Then the unthinkable happened… Melody said… “Oh… because it kind of feels like I’m meant to be here.”   We looked at each other in equal disbelief and excitement! Raquel asked “Do you want to visit a school and see what it’s like?'' Melody was on board! Mind you… Melody was going to start at a high school different from many of her friends. So regardless, she would be a new kid starting a new school anyway. Raquel obviously did her homework on where and why she wanted to move to this specific location and I trusted that.  We visited Chandler High School. The most diverse high school in Arizona and rated one of the top public schools in the State at the time. Chandler High School  offered an accelerated program similar to what Melody has already been involved with. Melody fell in love with the school, opportunities, electives, advanced placement classes and resources available to her.


 Within three months, we took on even more risk. Not our first rodeo lol!  Turned our home in Illinois into a rental then moved across the country to Chandler, Arizona! Never looked back and never regretted it. 


This move turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. Raquel’s due diligence paid off! We both found work immediately and Melody began her high school career. After another three months, we found and purchased our new home within the school district. It was perfect for us! 


We all thrived more than anticipated. I ended up getting promoted rather quickly yet resigned soon after and started my own business to avoid a relapse in my health. Melody was doing great with school both academically and socially. We planted citrus and fruit trees just like Raquel envisioned. She was very happy, it’s what she dreamed of! We had and took advantage of the abundance of beautiful weather. Spending much time outside in nature, attending concerts and music festivals, road trips, exploring Arizona and Mexico with our pets. Raquel was the happiest I have seen her in a long time which made me very happy. Our marriage kept getting better and better and things just felt right. Things just seemed to flow almost perfectly until about 2020…

Just before Covid hit we lost Melody’s cat named Lady, and our pitbull Happy soon after. That was a tough one because Happy was such a big personality in our home. Raquel was devastated and fell into a deep depression for a while which was difficult to witness. She eventually overcame and for Christmas 2019 we got our daughter a gift certificate to adopt a kitty from a cat shelter. We made a day out of it visiting the facility playing with dozens of cats. We all bonded with a Calico kitten named Mal, so she was adopted and brought home. It felt right like it was meant to be. We named her Clover because of her beautiful green eyes. She was a perfect fit for our family!


I’m glad we were able to do that because shortly after we adopted Clover, the pandemic hit…This was a mixed bag for us. It was terrible initially for everyone, but…  we got so much amazing quality family time together and took full advantage. I say a mixed bag because it was also very concerning for us. Raquel was immunocompromised, so we were always super careful and mindful. We all got vaccinated to protect her. I don’t care what you think about it, she is what we cared about and we were not taking it lightly. Sadly, she lost her Uncle to complications of Covid which made the threat that much more real for us. We were crushed by this but at the same time this was a wake up call to live and love like there is no tomorrow. 


The lockdown threatened my business so I made a couple related “how to” videos in order to rank higher than the competition on google search. I enjoyed the creative process and something came over me.. I reminisced capturing family moments starting from Raquel being pregnant until the camcorder  malfunctioned which was when Melody was around 4 years old. I loved those home videos! My brothers and I made a lot of videos when we were kids, so it was natural for me to capture moments. It was fun! Especially enjoying those memories later like a time capsule.


With time on our hands, we converted our minivan into a little budget friendly, travel adventure camper van, to explore Arizona further. We were anxious to get out and about in nature during covid! We wanted something fun to look forward to instead of the looming depression ahead. We were about to become empty nesters, which was fast approaching since Melody was set to graduate high school and move into a dorm soon. 


Melody graduated in 2020 during the peak of Covid. It was a surreal, socially distanced event which took place at a drive-in movie theater. It was very interesting how it was handled but that class is resilient and has been through so much already. We really wish she had a normal senior year but it is what it is. Just happy they didn’t cancel the ceremony altogether!  We were extremely grateful for all that precious time together as a family during the quarantine, which was priceless.


Raquel and I started taking long weekend adventures in our camper van to reconnect as a couple and figure out the empty nester life. I was inspired to film everything to share with friends and family since most were stuck at home. We had the opportunity to get out. We posted on YouTube to easily share with people. Random strangers started subscribing to our channel and interacting. Some commented that they were inspired by us which was really cool. We found purpose! We started taking it a little more seriously and coming up with awesome plans for the future. We named the channel Next Advanture. It was a lot of fun, capturing those memories and sharing! We eventually got enough subscribers  the channel became monetized. One of our videos,  a tour of our mini adventure van,   had over 60.000 views! 


Later,  we came to find our tenants were destroying the rental home. They took advantge of the covid laws put in place.  It took some time, but we finally got them evicted. I had to spend pretty much the whole summer there alone getting the place restored so we can sell it as we no longer wanted to be landlords after that experience. Mind you this is when the world was in a chaotic state and cities were literally burning. My family was 1800 miles apart during that turmoil. That was pretty crazy, we had no choice but to deal with it. There was a silver lining however. We put the house up for sale and immediately got multiple offers over the asking price! 


At least there was some payoff from being apart in those uncertain times. We paid off all debt and ended up buying a bigger camper van that we could actually stand up in. Now we could go out on the road even longer. We started planning some big adventures and were able to take our first all inclusive, adults only vacation with a group of friends. It was epic! We captured a lot great moments on our adventures, including that vacation. That vacation video has over 23.000 views! It was nice that Raquel was getting comfortable with me filming everything because I feel I captured her essence. Melody and I will always have that. To see her smile and hear her laugh. I am so glad I was driven to film those precious moments!


As soon as we came back from that vacation, we lost her fur baby Jojo. Within two years, we lost three long time pets. It was just Clover at this point. She was now our only pet. 


A few days later, I mentioned to Raquel that I think she should adopt another dog. The funny thing is she was actually searching as I suggested the idea! Typically that’s not something we would do but after what happened with losing Happy, it felt necessary. Somewhere out there was a dog that needs love and she had much love to give. She said she’s already been calling shelters yet no one was getting back to her. Eventually, she found an ad on craigslist for a litter from an unwanted pregnancy. The lady had two puppies left and was only asking to be reimbursed for the shots. We dropped everything and quickly rushed to the other end of Phoenix and met the two puppies. We adopted our first puppy! Raquel spent the next year training, giving love and affection to Nalani. We took her on adventures with us wherever we went. Including Chicago! While in town, Raquel got to meet her nephew, Leo, when we visited family and friends. We drove through the neighborhood Raquel grew up in and I filmed her giving a tour. We visited her childhood home, it was fun! I can’t wait to edit the videos and revisit those moments. 


 Ever since we got Nalani, things were just absolutely incredible, everything was clicking and looking up. Covid was winding down which made everything even better!

However…

Around the end of November 2021 our fear came true. Raquel caught covid.  She got severely ill and ended up in the ER, Covid threatened her life then. That was a huge wake up call. Thankfully, she quickly recovered. It could have easily been much worse. That scare opened up some deep conversations we typically avoided. We all discussed our wishes for when we leave this world.

 Melody had the best idea which came from a touching, heartfelt story she found on instagram. After hearing it we were blown away. We agreed we all wanted something similar, it seemed like an amazing send off. None of us like traditional memorial services. The thought of slathering our corpses with makeup to be put on display for the closure of others…That custom always seemed so bizzare.

The instagram account @humansofny posted a story about how a husband expressed his wishes before he passed away. He grabbed a small vial and told his wife that when he dies, he wanted to be cremated and have his remains divided into similar little vials. He wanted them distributed to family and friends and have his remains spread however they thought would be meaningful send off. When he passed, Wayne’s wife arranged everything and met his wishes.


This concept was wild and we loved it! What a unique concept. 


The next few months seemed like nothing but high points. My brother and his family were confident they would be moving near us in Arizona and wanted to visit in March of 2022 to further explore the idea. We planned a road trip to Mexico together while they were visiting. Melody was confidently crushing college life!!! We had a great holiday season except Raquel couldn't take PTO when we visited Chicago after Christmas. We traveled back to Chicago just after Christmas without her unfortunately. Raquel and I went on more epic adventures making the most of empty nester life. In the early part of 2022, I figured out how to work less and make more with my business, which afforded much more free time for adventures. To top it all off, Raquel accepted a promotion offer! She was nervous yet thrilled at the same time. She loved being appreciated and recognized for her efforts and adored the team she worked with!


Things were going so good and we felt all our hard work and risk throughout the years was paying off, so we wanted to celebrate that fact. We are definitely appreciating all the good.


We decided to take a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas to celebrate her promotion. This was 3 weeks before my brother and family were coming to visit. I found a good deal on round trip airfare we couldn’t pass. The timing was perfect, so off we went to celebrate life being good to us at the moment.


We stayed at the Sahara. That was supposed to be four nights in Vegas…


They say not to do Las Vegas spontaneously, but that's how we rolled and what we did. Everything was going perfectly and we were having a blast. She enjoyed the best cocktail she ever had, on a whim and being spontaneous. We ended up at one of the best Mexican restaurants (in our opinion). We love Mexican cuisine and the guac, fajitas and margaritas were fantastic. Walking the strip and people watching was a lot of fun. We made friends the second night and planned to hang out at Fremont Street the following night. 


On March 5th, 2022, we decided to spend the morning relaxing by the pool before grabbing a late breakfast.


Before we headed out the door we stopped to take a photo together in front of the large mirror in our room. We had no idea this would be our last photo together…


The restaurants nearby were closed so our only option was Subway. We decided to share a small breakfast sandwich then get a decent lunch on Freemont Street.  We walked around a bit and headed back to the hotel.  We were walking slowly, hand in hand, completely relaxed and in vacation mode. We were chill. It was a nice refreshing pace. On the way back we stopped and reminded each other how lucky we were to still be in love after all these years expressing gratitude for how life was going recently. A very heartfelt and spontaneous conversation. We hugged and kissed waiting for the signal to cross the street. I will never forget that conversation because it was our last meaningful heart to heart. It’s like the powers that be drove us to express our love to each other and to take that final picture. We got back to the hotel with plans to relax more before heading out.


Not much longer Raquel started feeling ill and complaining of a severe headache. She said it was the worst headache of her life! I was terrified by that statement and called 911. I was deeply concerned because Raquel would get painful headaches for years and rarely complained when they hit.


There was always that chronic abnormally high anxiety hanging with me that comes with being a paramedic. Always helping others through their worst situations and scenarios, for over 15 years. Wondering, from a state of fear, when this will happen to my family. After all that cumulative exposure it just seemed inevitable.


 Well, there it was, actually happening and there was not much I could do about it. She became unresponsive and I was freaking out. I have been in this situation many times before, however, in a different capacity and with complete strangers. Nothing can prepare you for something like this. I had the training, but no tools and no help. The first responders finally arrived and transported her to the closest hospital. This hospital happened to be a top notch neuro surgical facility. Unfortunately Raquel passed away from a large hemorrhagic stroke. In other words, a brain bleed deep within. There was nothing that could be done…My biggest fear came true. I was alone with her for the first few terrifying hours, far from family and friends.


I will not go into detail surrounding the darkest and hardest days Melody and I ever faced except everything that followed was painfully surreal. Our daughter Melody was the first call I made. She was supposed to be in Flagstaff that weekend but her plans fell through so she was able to immediately jump on a plane to be at her side thankfully. Her sister Rita worked from home so her and their mother made it out to Vegas quickly. As fate would have it, my two older brothers Christian and Mario both were taking a leave from work and were able to get to Vegas. My dad has not gone anywhere since Covid hit. He just so happened to finally take a trip and just set his bags down when he got the call after arriving in Colorado. He was literally the next state over. He was able to get to Vegas quickly. Melody had a close friend from school who actually lived nearby and they were on break so she was home.


We could not accept this new reality. We still find it extremely difficult, but reflecting back we are very grateful how fast a support system came together for us despite difficult circumstances. 

The way everything unfolded and came together for us to receive the in person support we desperately needed is mind blowing. We were living this nightmare in another state far from home and loved ones, but the universe gave us what we needed in our darkest moment. 


I will finish her story with some positivity as that last part was torture.


Of course, the most selfless person I have ever known was a registered organ donor. We couldn't find her license and we never talked about it but we knew her selfless heart. We made the decision after learning Raquel was an eligible candidate because of how she passed. We later found her drivers license and as we suspected, she was a registered donor.

Just so you know. Not everyone who registers as a donor is able to donate. In fact, only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for deceased organ donation. 104,234 is the number of men, women, and children on the national transplant waiting list as I researched this statistic. 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant. 42,000+ transplants were performed in 2022. 

Every 10 minutes another person is added to the transplant waiting list.

Raquel, our lovely Raqstar Angel saved 5 lives with her generous gifts! She also helped a blind person see again. She will continue to improve lives of major trauma and burn victims with bone and tissue donation for years to come. As of today we know all transplants were successful and recipients are doing well! We’ve already heard from 2 of them and hope to learn more about them and their situations. We are excited to meet them when the time feels right. Here are the facts we know of so far.


Her right kidney was gifted to a 35 year old male.

Left Kidney was gifted to a 22 year old female.

Liver was gifted to a 54 year old female.

Heart was gifted to a 31 year old female.

Lungs gifted to a 43 year old male.

The latest update we received was all recipients are doing well as every transplant was a success! 

We appreciate that her gifts had such a major impact and that her story and outcome already inspired some to become organ donors themselves, including myself. We hope her story continues to inspire and have a massive positive ripple effect on humanity. With the help of family and friends we are respecting Raquel’s wishes and spreading her remains all over the world. We will post updates on that in the near future under the stories section and on the youtube channel. She still has places to go!


Reflecting on her life story, I am filled with gratitude that our souls connected, came together and loved each other for 24 years. Some people never find love, we were extremely fortunate in that regard. I am glad we had our daughter young so she was able to raise Melody to become a woman and watch the transformation. I am sad her dream to be “The cutest old lady to ever live” will not come to be but I am grateful for her beautiful mindset and leaving one hell of an inspirational legacy for the good of humanity. In hindsight, I appreciate that we all followed through on what was driving us, our intuition which led to amazing things in her last chapters. Raquel and Melody’s intuition on moving to Arizona and my drive to capture our adventures recently. We have an abundance of video featuring Raquel in some of our best moments which is beyond priceless. She was shy at first but eventually came out of her shell and we captured her essence thankfully. I am beside myself how she guided me to find journals she had written, inspiring me to do the same. And how she continues to guide us and make her presence known. I am so blessed and proud to have shared this wild journey on Earth with her. I am grateful for being one of the biggest aspects of her life. She is simply amazing. I see her in my daughter and feel her within myself… We hope her story inspires you and you will register to become an organ donor. Simply visit www.RegisterMe.org It takes 5 minutes of your time. Please message us if you need help with that. If her story inspired you to do so let us know and or write a brief tribute on her memorial websitewww.raquelslegacy.com. We hope that inspires more people to do the same. Please consider leaving a simple and brief tribute message while you are here. Thank you ❤️


Raquel… Melody and I  will continue honoring your memory the best we can and live our best possible lives for those who can’t and in your honor. We hope to be in a position to do something huge to pay forward all the loving help and support we have received, and do it in your name. Thank you for everything you have done for us and being in our lives. We love you Raquel! Always and forever! ❤️❤️❤️