Obituary

Gustavo “Gus” Perez was born on June 12, 1961, to Francisco and Adela Perez. He was the second of three sons and grew up in Carson, California. Gus graduated from Phineas Banning High School in 1979.

From a young age, Gus was drawn to the ocean. He loved skating and surfing, spending every spare moment at the beach—a passion that only deepened as he got older.

In 1985, Gus met the love of his life, Tamara. They married in 1986 and welcomed their daughter, Sarah, in 1987. Gus joined the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1989. In 1991, their son Matthew was born, and the family moved to Murrieta, where they spent over a decade building a beautiful life together.

Though he loved his work, Gus longed to be closer to the beach and to shorten his long commute to downtown Los Angeles. Eventually, the Perez family moved to Mission Viejo—a move that brought Gus immense joy. With the beach nearby and a quicker drive to the station, he was living his dream. He was happiest surfing, snowboarding, and riding dirt bikes with his family. His favorite saying about travel was, “If there’s no surf or snow, we don’t go.”

In 2004, Gus was diagnosed with leukemia. With the help of the City of Hope, a matching bone marrow donor—an angel named Jesus—was found. After nearly three months in the hospital and undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, Gus received a life-saving bone marrow transplant. He was a true miracle. Grateful for his second chance, Gus became an advocate for the City of Hope and was featured in several of their ad campaigns, offering hope to others battling similar challenges. Remarkably, after just six months off duty, he returned to firefighting and began studying for promotion. In November 2015, Gus was proudly promoted to Captain I.

One of Gus’s greatest joys was seeing his son Matthew follow in his footsteps, joining the LAFD in 2016. Few things made Gus prouder than visiting his son at the fire station.

In 2019, Gus became a grandfather—“Papa”—and again in 2021. Being a grandparent brought out his most relaxed, joyful self. He loved taking his grandchildren to the beach, watching Blake play baseball, and spoiling Sofia. His deep love for his family made the decision to retire in 2022 an easy one. He spent his final years doing what he loved most: traveling and making memories with those he held dear.

Though his life was cut too short, Gus left a legacy of strength, wisdom, and unconditional love. His sound advice, his calm presence, and his unwavering support will never be forgotten.

Gus is survived by his beloved wife, Tami; his children, Sarah and Matthew; his son-in-law, Tony, and soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Gabriella Conte and his cherished grandchildren, Blake and Sofia. He is also survived by his parents, Francisco and Adela; his older brother, Richard; his nieces and nephews; and a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and countless friends.

While his passing leaves an immense void, we find comfort in the love, memories, and experiences we shared with him.

Tami, Sarah, and Matt—together with their families—wish to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time.