In Loving Memory of Baba

Our beloved Baba was sweet, caring, and fiercely strong,

fighting her dementia with stubborn grace until the very end.

With her beautiful green eyes and signature ladybug pin.

She brought a warmth to our lives that we will carry forever.

Whenever we see a ladybug, we will smile and remember her gentle spirit.

Though she is gone, we still hear her voice whispering her favorite words to us from heaven

“Mucho, mucho”. 

May the angels watch over you Baba, just as you watched over us.

-Araneh Adelina Sanchez

Our dearest Baba, sweet and kind,

The biggest heart we’ll ever find.

Whenever a tiny ladybug flies,

We’ll see your smile in the skies.

Rest in peace, in the soft hues

We love you mucho, mucho, too

-Araneh Sanchez

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are grey

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away

The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you in my arms

When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken

So, I hung my head and I cried

“I LOVE YOU! YOU LOVE ME!

You are in the stories we share around the table, and the gentle way this family loves.

You are in the quiet moments of the afternoon, the spaces in between our words, and every bright little ladybug that’s lands along our path.

Thank you for a lifetime of unconditional warmth, and for the lingering laughter at the front door the way we never wanted to say goodbye,

always chasing each other for the final word in our endless games of “ I love you more” tag.

You might be resting now Baba, but you won the game.

The beautiful love you left behind stays with us, always.

Mom you are everything I could ask for in a mother, you were loving, supportive and stern when needed. You are the heart and soul of this family the love you showed us was endless. We are left with great and joyful memories that we will cherish forever I’m grateful for the time we spent alone laughing and crying. Thank you for welcoming Mirella into the family and treating her like your own daughter. Mom even though you are no longer with us, you are with us in our heart and spirit. I know if I need you for advice I just have to look up and say Hi momma. Like always I’ll hear yes Mijo in here for you. Now you get to be with Stacy who I know was waiting for you with her arms open and her beautiful smile. Please give her a kiss for me and tell her I love her. Thank you, Momma, for everything you did for me, Mirella and our family. You will always be missed and always remembered.

Love you always Mucho Mucho.

Tribute to Sandra, 

On March 22, 1981, I opened my eyes for the first time. I was greeted by the loveliest smile I have ever seen, from the most beautiful woman I have ever seen: my mom, Sandra.Some people wonder if guardian angels truly exist, but I have never had to wonder. I know they do because I was lucky enough to have my guardian angel as my mother. She was a beacon of strength, love, and compassion, acting as my steady guide as I navigated this world. No matter what life threw my way, my mom was always there for me. She was my anchor. She taught me to treat others with genuine kindness and respect, but she also made sure I knew how to stand up for myself. She gave me both a generous heart and the strength to protect it. Every single day, she modeled that balance, and every single day, she made sure to tell me how much she loved me.

But as much as she was my guide, she was also my favorite person to just be with. She brought so much joy into my life. We used to turn on music and just dance around together, shaking off the weight of the world. Some of my absolute favorite memories are the simple times we spent late at night, watching TV, talking, and laughing. We would laugh so hard together that she would snort, and that sound was pure, unadulterated joy. I am endlessly grateful for those dances and those quiet nights, just as I am grateful for the chance I had to look her in the eye and tell her everything that was in my heart. I got to tell her how much I loved her. I got to tell her what a truly great mother she was to me. And I got to remind her that her parents would be so incredibly proud of the woman and mother she became. Mom, your physical presence may be gone, but your guidepost remains. I will carry your smile in my memory, our late-night laughter in my heart, and I will honor you by walking through this world with the same integrity, respect, and strength you taught me. 

I love you always.

Ladybugs and Goodbyes

Two daughters by love, not by birth,

Stand softly beside her gentle smile.

Her kindness bloomed in every day,

A mother’s grace that lit their way.

Now as they part,

hearts full and tight,

They lean down and whisper thanks near her heart.

And when a ladybug drifts nearby,

They’ll smile and say, we love you too.

There is a beautiful saying that a mother is a son’s first love. Standing here today, I know just how true that is. Mom, you were my very first home. You were the first person to make me smile and laugh, the first person to comfort me when I was hurt or sad, and to love me unconditionally.

Mom was an extraordinary woman. To my siblings and I, she just wasn’t the center of our family; she was our home, our guide, and our greatest blessing.

Mom poured her entire heart into raising us. The home she provided was full of warmth, love, and unforgettable memories, the dedication she brought into our home has shaped who we are today, her influence will live on through us forever.

As I look at my own life, I realize that the best parts of who I am are because of her. By watching the way she lived and sharing moments with her together, I learned what it truly means to love, to sacrifice, and to be present for those you love. She taught me how to be a good husband and father, showing me that real strength lies in devotion, patience, and unconditional love.

Mom taught my siblings and I to be kind, to look at the world with empathy, to help those in need, and to lift others up. But she also taught us to stand up for ourselves, to never back down from doing what is right, and to be a voice for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves. Traits all needed to survive in this world but to also help make it better.

Being first born has its perks 😊Everyone knows just how special our bond was, they used to joke all the time about how I was always your “Mijo” and never did any wrong 😊 No matter how old I was or how much my siblings teased us about it, I wore that title like a badge of honor and will continue to do so. It was our own unshakeable connection. It’s the same bond I recognize between my wife and our first-born Lil Ruben. Girls, mom loves you just as much as your brother in her own way, unique to each of you; it’s a first-born thing, get over it 😊 Thank you mom for welcoming Herica into our family and loving her like your own daughter, it fills my heart with joy to know the two of had such a loving bond.

As I grew up, it became my absolute privilege to protect you, to laugh with you, and to stand by you. Being your “Mijo” and being able to love, care, and comfort you through your final moments—has been the greatest honor of my life.

You were my very first love, Mom, and I will spend the rest of my days living in a way that honors your spirit, your grace, and your undying loyalty to family and friends. Thank you for your endless love. I will miss you terribly, but will carry your strength, your kindness, and your lessons in my heart every day. You are at peace now with our beloved Stacy, Nana and Papa whom I know you’ve missed dearly. I know their beautiful smiles and warm hugs.

EULOGY

Thank you all for being here today as we gather to remember, honor and celebrate the life of Sandra Sanchez, my grandmother, my Baba.

Standing here today is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. No amount of time, and certainly no amount of preparation, can truly steady your heart to say goodbye to the person who was so important to you. I know that my baba deserves to be remembered, and I’m so deeply grateful for the privilege to speak about the woman who gave our family our very shape.

When I think of my Baba, I don’t just think of a grandmother. I think of a woman whose love was the foundation we all stood upon. She was entirely selfless, constantly pouring herself into others without a single thought of what she would get in return. She possessed the kind of rare, magical presence that could make an entire room feel warmer the moment she stepped into it. Her embrace was safe and soft, and her smile always had a way to make the hardest days feel like they were going to be okay.

Theres a quote that I really love which says, “To the world, you may be one person, but to one family, you may be the world.”

To our family, Baba was our world.

She was a constant in our life. She was full of comfort, advice, and encouragement. We always knew that if we needed someone, she would be there. One of the greatest gifts Baba gave us was the way she loved us. She absolutely adored being a mother, and even more so a grandmother. She always made sure we felt the weight of that devotion every single day.

Her love for her grandkids is immeasurable, my siblings and I will always remember her love because you cannot truly forget the love of a grandmother, it’s something so indescribable. My Baba always made my siblings and I a priority, she loved to see us happy, and nothing on earth would stand in her way. She always believed that our happiness was above all.

I remember when I was little, on a family trip to Disney world. I was completely terrified and refused to get on a ride. Hoping to encourage me, my family told me they’d only buy this Ariel doll I had been eyeing if I got on the ride. I still refused, completely heartbroken, crying because I wanted the doll so badly. But my Baba was already holding the doll. Everyone pleaded with her not to spoil me, so she waited. The moment my family walked away to get on the ride, Baba looked down on me, smiled and bought me the doll anyway. Looking back, it was never about the toy. I’ll always remember the feeling that I had a defender in her.

She did the same thing for my brother. I’ll never forget the story of my brother throwing a massive tantrum in the middle of the mall over a stitch toy. My mom is upset over the scene, firmly told my grandmother that she should not buy it for him and that he already has plenty of toys. But my Baba could not bear the sight of my brother’s tears, her heart broke just at the sight of him. Babe went into the store anyways and made sure they left the mall with the stitch toy. She simply could not bare to see ger grandbabies unhappy, and she would happily take the heat from our parents just to see us smile.

And she certainly wasn’t going to let my sister be the exception. My sister says that she went on an errands trip with baba and she spotted this amazing play kitchen set and pointed how much she loved it and being the good-tempered kid, she was, she settled down and told our baba that she would love it for Christmas. My sister seemed happy waiting for it but on the other hand Baba wasn’t. Without a second thought, baba bought that kitchen set that very same day.

These are just some of the moments that define who she truly was, a woman who loved without limits, a woman who knew a little spoiling was just another word for pure affection. She was our co-conspirator, our safe harbor, and the ultimate giver of grace. She was an exceptional wife, mother, sister, grandma and friend.

Beyond her fierce love for us, Baba brought a vibrant infectious light into our lives through her love for music. Baba’s life was lived with a soundtrack. We are going to painfully miss the sound of her singing along to her favorite songs, filling the house with her happy and sweet voice. It didn’t matter what kind of day it was; the very second her music played she found a way to be dancing. Watching her live this way reminds us to let go and to find joy in the small current moments. She carried a beautiful, carefree spirit and she never shied away from a good time.

And nowhere was her heart fuller or her light more brilliant than when she was alongside my Papa. Her marriage to Papa has been one of the most profound blessings for all of us to witness. True love, unyielding dedication, and deep companionship aren’t just fairy tale ideas to our family, they are tangible things we see in action every single day because of the two of them. Together, they set an extraordinary example of partnership, building a legacy of devotion that stretches from their children all the way to their grandchildren. They showed us what a lifetime of choosing each other looks like and that’s something we will hold onto forever.

With that same devotion, Baba was an incredible and deeply loving mother to her children. She poured her soul. Into raising them and teaching them to be strong, kind and compassionate. The gentle yet firm way she guided them into adulthood, supporting them through every milestone and sheltering them through every challenge, set the standard for the men and fathers they have become today. Her sons carry her strength, her warmth and her values in everything they do. Her influence as a mother is a living and breathing part of the legacy she leaves behind,

While our hearts still ache because she has left our side, there is a beautiful breathtaking comfort in knowing where she is now. We take solace in the thought that Baba is reunited with her daughter my Auntie Stacy, who passed long ago. For all these years, a piece of Baba’s heart belonged to the heavens. And though we miss her terribly here on earth, it brings peace knowing of their reunion. A mother daughter bond can never be broken, and I know my baba Is so happy to be reunited with her Stacy. They will never be parted again.

What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love becomes a part of us. Baba became a part of each of us. Her kindness, her wisdom, her stubbornness, her joyful spirit and her boundless love has left an incredible imprint on our souls that can never be erased. Her true legacy isn’t found in anything she owned or accomplished. Her legacy lives on in the people she loved. It lives on in her children, grandchildren, her family and her friends. It lives in the values of compassion and family unity that she passed down, and in the memories that we will proudly carry for the rest of our days.

The deep heavy sadness we feel today is a simple reflection of how profoundly Baba was loved. While our hearts are completely broken by ger absence, they are also filled to the brim with gratitude for the immense privilege of having known her and having been loved by her.

Today we say goodbye, but more than anything we say thank you.

Thank you, Baba, for your love

Thank you for your sacrifices

Thank you for being an incredible mother

Thank you for your partnership with Papa.

Thank you for being the best grandmother

Thank you for every hug, every kiss, every laugh and every lesson you taught me and my family.