Isla Gomez

His dream was always for us to go to college and pursue something that we have passion for because they weren't able to choose their own path. Like, you're not born saying, I'm going to clean toilets. I'm going to be a contractor. You're born thinking, like, I want to be a businesswoman. I want to go after this. I want to have my own company. I want to have my own home.

And it's just like, I feel like that's what their main goal for us was, that we're able to choose our own path. My dad, he's always been the person to tell us, work hard, nothing's gifted, nothing's handed, go after it.

And it's just like, I feel like that's what their main goal for us was, that we're able to choose our own path. My dad, he's always been the person to tell us, work hard, nothing's gifted, nothing's handed, go after it.

I would always ask my dad, like, should we worry? And he'd always tell us like, no, like there's don't worry as much as obviously when I'm alone, when anybody's alone, you always have that thought in the back of your mind. Like, what am I going to do? What if things go down? Well, like, obviously we worry at all times, but,

I would always ask my dad, like, should we worry? And he'd always tell us like, no, like there's don't worry as much as obviously when I'm alone, when anybody's alone, you always have that thought in the back of your mind. Like, what am I going to do? What if things go down? Well, like, obviously we worry at all times, but,

But I try not to because if my dad himself could be positive through something like this and always tell us that, don't worry, like, things are always going to get better, I'm not going to stay here and panic.

But I try not to because if my dad himself could be positive through something like this and always tell us that, don't worry, like, things are always going to get better, I'm not going to stay here and panic.

We were all kind of like trying our best to treat it like a regular day. Like he literally called his clients, spoke to them that morning, said that after his court, he's going to go to work and he's going to fix so and so's roof and do this and that. So he just shows up for his yearly check in and you go there, you represent yourself, talk about whatever is being asked. And that was about it.

We were all kind of like trying our best to treat it like a regular day. Like he literally called his clients, spoke to them that morning, said that after his court, he's going to go to work and he's going to fix so and so's roof and do this and that. So he just shows up for his yearly check in and you go there, you represent yourself, talk about whatever is being asked. And that was about it.

After I was hyperventilating, I felt like my heart just left my chest. I think about him being there. I think about him being in this close-up space So I worry a lot at night. Like, what if he's panicking and we don't know? What if he's holding strong, but he's actually having the hardest time in his life? Like, that's what constantly replays in my head.

After I was hyperventilating, I felt like my heart just left my chest. I think about him being there. I think about him being in this close-up space So I worry a lot at night. Like, what if he's panicking and we don't know? What if he's holding strong, but he's actually having the hardest time in his life? Like, that's what constantly replays in my head.

So it just felt like my whole heart got ripped out of my chest because I never got to really say a proper goodbye. Like, I'll see you later.

So it just felt like my whole heart got ripped out of my chest because I never got to really say a proper goodbye. Like, I'll see you later.

I'll give it to my dad from the first day that he called us to speak to us. That man has holding strong. Every time we call, he has the most positive energy and so positive that he will see us and things will change. Go back to not normal, because I don't feel like anybody could really treat life as normal after this situation, but definitely better.

I'll give it to my dad from the first day that he called us to speak to us. That man has holding strong. Every time we call, he has the most positive energy and so positive that he will see us and things will change. Go back to not normal, because I don't feel like anybody could really treat life as normal after this situation, but definitely better.

I'm the only one eligible to visit because I'm over 18 and I was actually filling out the papers and I was on the phone with him telling him when he called my mom, I'm filling out the papers to come visit you. I'm trying like, cause you have to send it through the mail. It's a whole process. So I tried to do as fast as possible.

I'm the only one eligible to visit because I'm over 18 and I was actually filling out the papers and I was on the phone with him telling him when he called my mom, I'm filling out the papers to come visit you. I'm trying like, cause you have to send it through the mail. It's a whole process. So I tried to do as fast as possible.

And he told me like, as much as I would love to see you guys so much, um, Just don't come here because this is not the person that I am. And he was just like, it would hurt to see you get up from that chair and turn your back and have to leave. That's when reality would hit. It's very hard to comprehend that. And it's very hard to imagine that.

And he told me like, as much as I would love to see you guys so much, um, Just don't come here because this is not the person that I am. And he was just like, it would hurt to see you get up from that chair and turn your back and have to leave. That's when reality would hit. It's very hard to comprehend that. And it's very hard to imagine that.

We open every conversation like he was here with us. Like I'm walking into the house saying hi to him. Ben said, hi dad, how are you? I missed you. We continue lives how it is. Like on the phone.