Julio Pina lived with love, enjoyable and journey | Louisiana Inspired

I bear in mind precisely the place I used to be seven years in the past when our nephew Little Julio referred to as. 

I used to be on my option to Arkansas, simply exterior of Bossier City on La. 3, heading north. I used to be delighted to see his title pop up on my telephone. 

A little bit backstory:

I met him on my first journey to El Paso, Texas, my husband’s hometown.

Little Julio was 7 years previous that summer season. Even then, he had a smile that might cease time. We hit it off from the second we met. 

When we moved to El Paso 4 years later, Little Julio was typically up for adventures. When he was in center faculty and would come see us, he would keep for some time. My husband and I cherished his visits.

One day when he was 11, he referred to as me to ask me to a program at his center faculty as a result of he had gained a writing contest. I went. He stood and browse his piece in regards to the day when he was just a little boy and walked into his home and located his father mendacity on the couch, crying. He requested his dad what was flawed. His dad mentioned, “Freddie Mercury died.”

Later that day, Little Julio realized that his mother and father had been getting a divorce. 

He realized that whereas his dad might have been unhappy that Freddie Mercury died, that wasn’t why he was crying.

After that day, Little Julio and I had a distinct connection. He had the center of a author.

In highschool, he labored at a automotive wash. When he graduated highschool, he saved working on the automotive wash. Finally, he joined the Navy.

He was stationed in Pensacola for some time, and we went down to go to. He would name us pretty typically, however at all times earlier than he left on deployment. Once when he came over us, I picked him up on the airport in New Orleans. He had by no means been and needed to see the city, so I gave him a tour. Somehow, I ended up making a flip I did not intend to and drove by a neighborhood recognized for its tough streets.

I mentioned, “Yikes, I didn’t mean to end up here.”

He mentioned, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve got me here. We’ll be all right.”

He had that sense of invincibility that so many younger males consider in.

When he was stationed at a naval base in California, we began listening to a couple of lady named Liz. We went out to go to them and met at Yosemite. We might inform from the primary second we met her that Liz wasn’t only a lady to Little Julio.

She was one thing particular.

During our time collectively in Yosemite, he and my daughters had an encounter with a bear. Everything turned out tremendous, however we’ve laughed in regards to the incident for years. Bottom line: He nonetheless thought he was invincible. 

He and Liz began coming to see us for Thanksgiving. They helped repair the meal. We all loved it. Then we performed penny poker. 

In 2016, he and Liz invited me to officiate their marriage ceremony on Coronado Island, simply off the coast of San Diego. It was the stuff of magic. 

He ended up stationed in Sicily. Few individuals ever stationed in Sicily made as a lot of the expertise as Liz and Julio. He was active-duty army, however he additionally went to school and earned a level. He rode a Vespa, developed an unbelievable love of espresso, and from their balcony might watch Mount Vesuvius erupt on one facet and the Mediterranean stretch on the opposite.

Even so, they nonetheless got here for Thanksgiving. 

Through the years, I realized to understand his love of the Wu-Tang Clan and Beastie Boys, particularly his favourite music, “Alive.”

But again to that telephone name on that day in June 2018 — we caught up for a couple of minutes earlier than he advised me that a number of weeks earlier he had been attempting to order tacos at a meals truck. He knew what he needed, however when it was his flip, he couldn’t make the phrases come out. He ended up going to the physician, which led to a collection of medical doctors, which has led to seven years of medical doctors. 

He had mind tumors. For seven years coping with mind tumors, with unbelievable persistence and his spouse’s wonderful analysis expertise and tenacity, they’ve lived greater than most individuals do in a lifetime. 

Last week, I obtained one other name. 

Surrounded by love of their dwelling in California, Little Julio Pina left this earthly aircraft. We are sadder than we have ever been. 

Yet, in each journey, each giggle we shared, his invincibility lives on — in our reminiscences, within the music he cherished, within the locations he explored and within the pleasure he dropped at everybody fortunate sufficient to know him.

His spirit, as fearless as ever, stays with us.