HE LEFT SUCH A VOID IN ALL OF OUR LIVES
My dad, Dante Lorenzo, was such a loving, kind and cheerful man. Growing up he had a rough life in Mexico, being very poor and raised by a single mom. As he grew and learned so much about life’s struggles, he knew that when he got to be an adult, he would make the best out of life and work hard to never end up in those circumstances again. He moved away to a different city to provide for his mom and younger brother in search of a better life. In 1989, he had the wonderful opportunity to immigrate to the United States and began to live out his dream of being a family man.
Soon after moving to the United States, he met the love of his life. They were married two years later and in 1993 had their first child. My dad was always the most loving and playful dad anyone could ever want. I still remember when my dad would come home tired after a long day’s work, and we would ask him to play with us, and he would never say no. He was always trying to make us laugh, making up games, telling us jokes. He always planned pizza Fridays for us and every Saturday he would take us out to the park to ride our scooters, bike and skateboards. He would take us to the movies every other week and spoil us as much as he could. Although he was a very fun dad, he was also a very strict one. I still don’t know how he was able to discipline us and make us so happy at the same time.
As we got older, he adapted to our ages. As teenagers we would all play cards with him and watch movies. He was always so understanding and always knew what to say. Even when it came to my girl problems, I always knew I could count on him for any advice and support. He was always my best friend, someone I could laugh, cry and have a debate with. He was always supportive of me and my siblings. He would take my brother to soccer tournaments every weekend and never miss a practice. He was the best sideline dad who got along with everyone.
When the children became adults, our relationship really flourished. He was always so relatable and always so understanding that even when we would do something bad, he would be upset but he always knew what to say and always gave us the benefit of the doubt. He knew he had raised good kids and was always on our side. When he became a grandfather in 2017, it was the best gift he could have received. It was like he had another best friend. He would always take care of his grandson Alex. He babysat him on weekends and evenings after work and would never complain. He loved spending time with his sidekick.
My dad had such a huge bond with many people. He would always treat everyone the same and never judge anyone. He had a smile that would light up a room and a heart of gold. He was admired by all of his work colleagues from the youngest to the oldest. Everyone looked up to him, and everyone would take his advice to heart. Everyone in the neighborhood respected him and always saw him walking his dog Choco in the evenings, with his headphones and a smile.
He had a wonderful life, and enjoyed it to the fullest. He was always up for adventure and any activity. He never backed down. Unfortunately, COVID-19 got the best of him, and after a three-month-long battle, he passed at Scripps Mercy Hospital.
He fought as hard as he could. He did not want to part from this world but he was also ready if the Lord took him. We believe that because he was such a loving and kind soul the Lord chose to take him on Valentine’s Day.
He left such a void in all of our lives, but we do have peace knowing that he is in a better place and has moved on to an eternal life. We know he will forever be in our hearts and in our thoughts. We miss him dearly, but he will always be within us.