A tribute to a man

My uncle Elio died this morning from complications stemming from a long battle with diabetes. In recent months he lost his legs from the knee down. As much as I saw this coming, my heart aches today.

Uncle Elio was the youngest of seven brothers:

Eduardo
Jose Angel
Felo
Amaury
Oscar
Mario (my abuelo)
ELIO

Here is a photo I pulled from one of my cousin's FB pages of part of the family, back in the day. My great grandparents are front and center, my grandparents cut off in the back left:

Handsome looking bunch

I never knew the oldest two, who have also passed. I grew up around the youngest five, and didn't fully realize until I was much older how incredibly blessed I was to grow up part of such a warm, loving, rambunctious, fiery, well-fed, vibrant, hilarious, LOUD family. I think if you spent even one hour with this side of my family, you would think to yourself: "FULL OF LIFE!"

Elio was the youngest. He was sweet, kind, generous, and fun to be around. I remember wild parties at his house, one of the rare times the entire extended family would make the effort to get together. Every time I went to his house I would meet a handful of new cousins!

I wish him peace, and a safe passage.