Obituary

Vigil service was held Monday, July 8 at 7:00pm at O’Connor Mortuary with a private, live viewing. Please contact the family directly for details to view this recording.

Funeral Mass was held on Tuesday, July 9 at 10:00am at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Aliso Viejo followed by a graveside service at Ascension Cemetery in Lake forest at 12:00pm. A recording of the live Funeral Mass may also be viewed by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/LjJ-7_0Hx5s

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any charitable donations be made in Gabriel Romo’s name to: The Trevor Project

Words of Remembrance

Hello, we’re Gabriel’s parents, Gil Romo and Elizabeth Romo. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support we’ve received during this challenging time, and we ask God to give eternal rest to our son, Gabriel. As we stand united in grief, love and profound loss, we find solace in the beautiful moments we shared with Gabriel. Let us embrace his love, gentle soul, and celebrate the joyous moments he brought into our lives.

Gabriel was born into our hearts on December 16th, 2002, and now has embarked on a new journey to meet our Heavenly Father. He was baptized into the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of the First Holy Communion. He was a son, grandson, cousin, nephew, godson, and friend. We are grateful to God and feel privileged that he chose us to be his parents. We hope we made Gabriel proud.

Gabriel was gentle and kind; and always remained that way. He experienced joy throughout his life, and brought abundant joy to ours. He had a gentle soul that found beauty in the simplest of things. He was pure at heart and sensitive to the world around him. Since his early years, he has shown respect and caring for others. One particular example that comes to mind, is when Gabriel was asked by his mother if he would like to fly out to visit her. He declined and stated,

“Mom, I don’t feel comfortable going and enjoying myself with all that’s happening in the world. Instead, I’ll go to participate in the local “Black Lives Matter” demonstration.” 

That decision was a powerful reflection of his character. An example of his unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and support for their LGBTQ+ community. Likewise, he became a vegetarian at ten years old. Gabe also experienced several camping trips to the Sierras, Morro Bay, and Santa Cruz. He joined Pack 700 as a Cub Scout while his father Gil became Cub Master.  He was kind to animals, and adopted his cat, Willow, who he adored. Gabriel often traveled to the East Coast, spending vacations and holidays with his grandmother, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Although brief, his journey on this earth was filled with moments of kindness, compassion, joy, and love.

Gabriel was creative and artistic. During his early years, he took acting classes, had a speaking role in a final class project, and was in the Chess Club. Gabriel enjoyed crocheting hats, baking, and cooking. He painted beautifully in watercolor, found fulfillment in thrift shopping, and often wore all his purchased clothing. Gabriel was an avid music lover and enjoyed a wide range of music. Two of his favorite artists were Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey. In 2019, when one of Eilish’s albums came out, he could not stop talking about her music and videos, “Mom, you have to watch this video; let me show it to you.”  Gabriel knew when Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey’s albums or their titles were premiering, and always looked forward to them. He enjoyed roller skating so he bought his own pair of skates; which he often traveled with. Gabriel also shared his life with a few, very special friends. They often hung out, went to the movies, laughed, played video games until the early hours of the morning… sharing plans for the future.

Gabriel was intelligent and worked hard to excel in school. He was in the Bilingual Immersion Program and became biliterate in Spanish and English. He excelled in reading and writing, graduated from Laguna Hills High School, and earned a Certificate of Achievement in General Education from Saddleback College.

We take comfort in knowing that Gabriel is united with God, resting peacefully in His embrace. We lean on God for closeness and comfort in our mourning. As we say our final goodbyes, let us remember that he is now at peace, in a place where there is no pain, no sorrow… only eternal love, and bliss.

Mi Vida, your memory will continue to be a guiding light and a source of strength for all of us.

Our beloved Gabriel, your journey on this earth was brief. You are forever in our hearts, a cherished memory, a beautiful dream, and a love that knows no end. Let us honor his memory by living with the same love, kindness, compassion, and pureness that he exemplified throughout his life. Gabriel, may your beautiful soul find everlasting peace.

To view Gabriel’s videos:

• Gabriel’s Memorial video slideshow, please click this link: https://vimeo.com/980095406?share=copy