Michelle Cesena
I will always remember my nephew Raul as a handsome tender-hearted soul who carried himself with grace.
A vivid memory of Raul that never fails to bring a chuckle and smile is when Raul was about 6 years old, he accompanied me and his two younger cousins, Jonathan and Angelica, to a company picnic at Mission Bay. As we walked toward the picnic with hands full, Jonathan prolonged our journey due to his rambunctiousness. WELL, little Raul must have seen enough of his younger cousin’s rambunctiousness because he sprang into action by giving Jonathan a couple of swats on his bottom. It certainly did the trick straightening out his cousin JJ.
I have always been grateful to Raul for helping me out in such a cute manner at such a very young age.
Each time I shared the story with sister Moni, I could see smiles and pride in her face. Sis Moni calls swats on the bottom, a good DUSTING, while gesturing the motion with her hand. It goes to show that little Raul began early, honing in on one of many leadership skills.
I have always been amazed at Raul’s resemblance to his Grandpa Juan, especially as he grew older. Sis Moni would share that his Grandma Ruth could see the resemblance as early as Raul’s birth. That’s pretty amazing.
I remember Raul expressing his graciousness when he immediately gave away his trivia prize money to his nephew Levi. It’s easy to see why Raul’s younger cousins looked up to him. He was a great inspiration to them.
One of my fondest memories of Raul is the story that his Grandma Ruth would often share. As a toddler when Raul accompanied her to a department store, out of the blue while sitting in the shopping cart, he began singing the song loudly, “All my ex’s live in Texas”, capturing the attention of many other shoppers. His Grandma Ruth often played country western records and as you can see, Raul was also a fan.
I miss our beloved Raul. His memory will forever be etched in our hearts and the essence of his soul will remain ever present. Rest in heavenly peace dearest Raul💜🙏💜 Love, Auntie Chelle ((Michelle)
