The parents of Edwin Garcia, Mr. Jose Garcia and Mrs. Bernarda Castro, wish to express their gratitude to our community for its outpouring of compassion and generosity following their 15-year-old son’s recently reported death.
His parents give their thanks to the many kind-hearted people who were touched by their young son’s brief life and moved by his untimely death. So many of them opened their hearts to the family that in just one week donors to the Edwin Garcia Memorial Fund had covered all of the funeral and burial expenses.
Thanks to Noozhawk readers, Edwin’s much-loved pit bull, Rico, quickly found a new home.
Relatives, friends and acquaintances, and even people from near and far who did not know Edwin but who heard of the family’s plight, contributed to the memorial fund. Even Edwin’s eye doctor who recalled his young patient and had prescribed Edwin’s first and last pair of eyeglasses.
Donors to the Edwin Garcia Memorial Fund included school staff such as Edwin’s former elementary, junior high, and high school teachers and principals who all gave to the fund. They remembered him from their school classes and campuses and recalled his gentle spirit.
We are so fortunate and blessed to live in a community that cares for its own. Edwin Garcia will be laid to rest on Monday, July 1, following a 10 a.m. Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 1740 Cliff Drive in Santa Barbara.
— Salvador Güereña is a friend of the Garcia family.