Today was a beautiful day.

As difficult as this day was, I know Dad would have been happy. One of his final wishes was granted. He wanted a Christian burial and funeral service, and today we were able to give that to him. When Dad was gravely ill, we had many deep and difficult conversations about the things he wanted when his time came. One thing he was very certain about was his funeral. He envisioned a white funeral, something pure, peaceful, and heavenly. He wanted people to celebrate his life. He did not want sadness. He did not want tears. He also didn’t want flowers.

I remember telling him that people would probably cry anyway because they loved him so much and losing him would hurt. He knew I would likely be the one crying the most.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t.

Instead, I felt him there beside me and he was safe and at peace.

The funeral service was held at Bay Area Mortuary Services. As family and friends arrived, my Uncle Manuel played the piano. Pastor Bishop E.C. Wilson led the service, and Nate Branch performed songs throughout the ceremony. It was a beautiful service and a wonderful tribute to my dad.

Afterward, we traveled in procession to Los Gatos Memorial Park. We were escorted by police the entire way from the mortuary to the cemetery. There, Dad was laid to rest during a graveside service surrounded by family and friends.

It was both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Standing there, watching everything unfold, it finally felt real. For weeks, part of me felt like I was living in a bad dream, waiting to wake up, But at that moment, as we laid him to rest, I knew this was very real.

My dad was gone. Those walls they built finally fell. No one was hiding him from me. Not anymore.

Yet even in the sadness, there was peace.

Today, the way things played out was exactly the kind of day Dad wanted. I was able to stop him from being cremated. My husband purchased the most beautiful white casket with gold trim, just as Dad had envisioned something pure, peaceful, and heavenly. Family, neighbors, and even new friends stepped in to help make one of his final wishes come true. The kindness and support we received during such a difficult time is something I will never forget. I am deeply thankful to everyone who helped make this day possible. More than anything, I know Dad would have been thankful too.

Below is my written speech for my dad’s funeral service:

I keep pinching myself every morning, hoping I will wake up to find my dad still alive. I knew that this day would come, but I didn’t expect him to leave this soon because he was the strongest man I ever knew.

Every couple of nights, I’d wake up to ask my family

“Is my dad really gone?”

because it’s really hard to imagine life without my dad.

Many of you may know Jaime as the man in church who played the drums or the man who made everything more fun. You may even know him as the man with the Red Honda Civic or the blue van he washed every single day.

The other week when my Aunt Rose and Uncle Michael messaged me to give their condolences, my Aunt Rose said “Although your dad’s last and final days of life were difficult, we knew him and will always remember him when he was at the prime of his life. He was handsome, always nicely dressed with a perfect haircut. He had a great gift of detailing and cleaning cars. One day he offered to detail our car and we paid him to do it. Your dad did an incredibly amazing job. My car sparkled and shined like brand new. He used Q-tips to clean the dust in the vents and brushed the interior until no speck of dirt or dust was left. He truly had the gift and talent of auto detailing and is probably detailing God’s chariots now!”

I truly believe that.

But there is another side of Jaime I had the privilege of knowing because he was my dad. 

He was incredibly goofy, had a great sense of humor and he would do just about anything to make other people laugh. He was always willing to help, to listen, and give whatever he could even though he didn’t have much to give. He taught me to see life from different perspectives and to put myself in other people’s shoes, but most importantly he taught me to live a life rooted in faith and with God.

Growing up, he never missed a chance to tell me, “I love you.” He always made me feel safe, and told me he was only just one page away, because of that, I always knew I could go to him for anything.

Jaime believed no one was a stranger, just a brother or sister we hadn’t met yet. Everywhere we went, he would stop and talk to everyone , especially about God… He made people feel seen and heard. As a child it was hard for me to understand it, I remember always pulling on his arm wanting to go because he would keep on talking to everyone. During my birthdays, he’d celebrate it and a huge group of people he met that day would be a part of my birthday. I used to cry over it but as a grown up I understand him better.

Some of my favorite memories are the weekends we spent together, going to Alum Rock Park, Half Moon Bay, or Monterey Bay Aquarium. He loved being surrounded by nature, taking in everything God created. He used to day dream often and had the most beautiful mind. I remember during our bird watching trip, he would ask “Have you ever imagined being a bird? I wish I could fly”

These were special moments but the moments I hold closest are the quiet ones, sitting in his blue van, reading the Bible together. You could see the joy on his face when sharing the word of God. His faith was beautiful and it wasn’t just something he spoke about. He lived a Christian life and was loyal to God.

In his later years, my dad went through a never ending storm. He battled congestive heart failure, kidney failure, Charcot, lost his vision and developed an autoimmune disorder. It was incredibly hard to watch. I cried most nights, thinking about how much he was suffering. I often wished I could take his pain away and carry it for him.

But through it all, he never lost his faith.

He remained patient, kind, and full of trust in God, even through his hardest moments.

There were times when he cried alone in the bathroom and questioned why these things were happening to him, but he kept on praying and never lost his faith in God. 

I find comfort in knowing he is no longer suffering and he is no longer in pain. He is now at peace and at rest. He is finally safe with the Lord.

Today, I’m not saying goodbye, I am here to say thank you.

Dad, thank you for your love, for your guidance, and the lessons you taught without ever needing to say a word.

Your legacy will live in the way we love one another and in the way we show up for people around us.

That’s how I’ll carry you with me.

I’ll remember you for the beautiful soul that you are.

I will follow your foot steps and tell everyone your wish to “love one another” and to forgive one another.

And I will find comfort in 2nd Timothy 4:7,

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Because dad, you made it! One day I’ll see you at the finish line.

I love you dad. You were my best friend, my hero and the strongest man I ever knew.