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Comunidad Llora Pérdida de Jóven Latino
La temporada Navideña es una fiesta que la mayoría de la gente espera todo el año, pero el día de Navidad 2013 fué un día especialmente difícil para Guadalupe y Pedro Méndez y su familia de Pensacola y muchos de sus amigos. Habían planeado pasar las vacaciones con su familia en Texas.

Osiel Mendez - Rostro , de 18 años, de Pensacola, falleció en su sueño el 22 de diciembre del 2013. Los familiares dicen que no pueden entender lo que le había pasado, pero quieren que sea recordado por el feliz, contento, y amorosa joven que era.

“Estamos felices de que hay un montón de fotos de él sonriendo y bailando. Él era una persona muy feliz”, dijo su madre. “Siempre he estado orgullosa de todos mis hijos, pero me siento especialmente orgullosa de todo lo que hizo. Nunca fué demasiado orgulloso para expresar su amor por mí y su familia tampoco. Siempre fué respetuoso.”

Osiel fue conocido como “Morro” a muchos de sus amigos. Muchos se refiere a él como “Ojitos” a causa de sus ojos color avellana. Él era un Senior en Escambia High School en el Programa de Ingeniería Avanzada. Él era un beneficiario de una beca de 4 años con Take Stock in Children que ahora se ha pasado a una de sus hermanas.

“Quería avanzar por si mismo en la vida ya que fué el hijo mayor de su familia. Él quería ser el primero en su familia en ir a la universidad. Él iba a graduarse como uno de los mejores alumnos de su clase”, dijo Pflaume. “Sus hermanos eran sus mejores amigos. Él era un mentor para ellos también,” añadió.

Guadalupe explicó que se habían ido a Texas porque siempre nos divertimos allí y quería pasar las vacaciones allí. La familia planea colocar los emblemas de Texas y Florida en su lápida en el cementerio.
“Florida estaba en su corazón, pero en Texas se encontraba en su alma,” agregó.

Elisabeth Pflaume conocia a Osiel desde que tenía una semana de vida. Ella y su esposo William son considerados por la familia como sus segundos abuelos.

Osiel le sobreviven sus padres, Guadalupe y Pedro Méndez ; 4 hermanos, Karina, Yisel, Pedro, Jr. y Nancy, abuelos, Hortencia y Alicio Rostro, Aristo Méndez y Eva Pérez, y Elisabeth Pflaume - Parker y William Parker III; y muchos otros miembros de la familia . “se llevaron a cabo servicios en St. John’s Catholic Church.

Mucha gente lo conocía de la escuela y las diversas actividades en que él participó. Él era un voluntario en la Ronald McDonald House, donde ayudó a las familias que se alojaban en el centro a tener una estadia confortable.

“Él salia de su camino para asegurarse que las familias aquí se sintieran como que era un hogar lejos del hogar”, dijo Adriana Murray, coordinadora de voluntarios en la Ronald McDonald House. “Fue una bendición para la casa. Siempre estaba alegre, sonriente , siempre dispuesto a ayudar," agregó.

Osiel también jugó fútbol en Escambia High School y trabajó como voluntario en el Perdido Bay Soccer Field. Su madre dijo que él ayudó como intérprete en sus escuelas desde su infancia.

Osiel fué un gran amigo de todos, incluyendo a La Costa Latina. Disfrutó de participar en los festivales en los que con orgullo se le pidió expresar su cultura y el amor por la música de baile. Nuestro más sentido pésame a la familia Méndez y cientos de amigos con los que lloramos.
 Community Grieves Loss of Latino Youth
Christmas time is a holiday that most people look forward to the entire year, but Christmas Day 2013 was an especially difficult day for Guadalupe and Pedro Mendez and their family of Pensacola and many of their friends. They had planned to spend the holidays with family in Texas.

Osiel Mendez-Rostro, 18, of Pensacola, passed away in this sleep on December 22, 2013. Family members say that they can not understand what had happened to him, but want him to be remembered for the happy, content, and loving young man that he was.

“We’re happy that there are lots of pictures of him smiling and dancing. He was a very happy person,” his mother said. “I’ve always been proud of all of my kids, but I am especially proud off all that he did. He was never too proud to express his love for me and his family either. He was always respectful.”

Osiel was known as “Morro” to many of his friends. Many referred to him as “Ojitos” because of his hazel eyes. He was a senior at Escambia High School in the Advanced Engineering Program. He was a recipient of a 4 year scholarship with Take Stock in Children which has now been passed on to one of his sisters.

“He wanted to advance himself in life as he was the oldest child in his family. He wanted to be the first one in his family to go to college. He was going to graduate at the top of his class,” Pflaume said. “His siblings were his best friends. He was a mentor to them too,” She added.

Guadalupe explained that he they had gone to Texas because he always had fun there and wanted to spend the holidays there. The family plans to place the Texas and Florida emblems on this cemetery marker.
“Florida was in his heart, but Texas was in his soul,” she added.

Elisabeth Pflaume knew Osiel since he was a week old. She and her husband William are known to the family as his second grandparents.

Osiel is survived by his parents, Guadalupe and Pedro Mendez; 4 siblings, Karina, Yisel, Pedro, Jr., and Nancy; grandparents, Hortencia and Alicio Rostro, Aristo Mendez and Eva Perez, and Elisabeth Pflaume-Parker and William Parker III; and many other extended family members. Services were held at St. John’s Catholic Church.

Many people knew him from school and the various activities he participated in. He was a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House where he helped families who were staying at the facility had a comfortable stay.
“He went out of his way to assure that families here felt like this was a home away from home,” said Adriana Murray, Volunteer Coordinator at the Ronald McDonald House. “He was a blessing to the house. He was always cheerful, smiling, always ready to help,” she added.

Osiel also played soccer at Escambia High School and volunteered at the Perdido Bay Soccer Field. His mother said that he helped as an interpreter at his schools since his childhood.

Osiel was a great friend to everyone, including La Costa Latina. He enjoyed participating at the festivals where we proudly asked him to express his culture and love of music by dancing. Our deepest condolences to the Mendez Family and hundreds of friends with whom we grieve.