Christmas without Dad

DOWNEY - On April 30 of this year, my husband Jose Cuevas lost his life suddenly in a tragic car accident on his way home at 7:50 p.m.

He was struck head-on by a vehicle that was driving at a high speed in the wrong lane. My husband lost his life on impact and he never made it home.

It was his 39th birthday and my two kids and I were waiting for my husband to walk through the door and surprise him with a small birthday party that my two children had arranged for their father; little did we know he had lost his life and we would never see him again.

My husband normally never worked on his birthday but because he was a responsible man he went to work and ended up working overtime that day.

Once I discovered at 9 p.m. that my husband had lost his life, our life changed forever. At this point my 14-year-old daughter can't do anything other than grieve her father's death.

On the second day of his death my daughter wrote a poem in his honor and read it during his service. It was important for her to share with others so they realized the impact that her father had on her life, and for those who grieve to understand that they will never be lonely.

This is the poem Yulissa wrote and she would be deeply grateful if it could be published for others to read:

Vision blurs, thoughts crowded, sound turns white, and life turns into a flash, right before your eyes. Nothing seems clear, so all you can do is make a river that trails down your face. Nothing seems right. You're scared because someone so loved has become an angel. An angel with such beautiful wings that has made a lifelong journey to heaven. All his days here on earth here were worth every second. He left this earth because God needed an angel, so he's up in heaven caring for those he loves so much. He cleans our tears with his hands and protects us with his wings. He can never leave us because he's our guardian angel. But one thing is certain, our love for him is indescribable because no words exist for this love he has for us all. We are never alone.

********** Published: Dec. 26, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 37