Never would I have thought when I first met him through a Christian pen pal website that we would quickly become so close. He lived in Xalapa, Mexico, and I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina. How can two people living in two very different countries become best friends? I have no idea how we did, but it happened. In December of the same year we met. I traveled to Mexico for the first time and met him face to face. I will never forget that time together. Since then I traveled there many other times and he also traveled here to visit me. Each time, it was like we had never parted and we enjoyed each others company. We were not alike in many ways but we complimented each other in a way I never knew possible.
Please bear with me as I go down memory lane...
Noel, I never thought I would have to go through this time so soon. You have left me here alone and have gone to a better place with our Lord and your mother. I will never forget our first meeting and my feeling of being greeted by a "sea of Mexican people" on my first visit. Thank you for making my first trip to Mexico a very special one. I will never forget all the wonderful Mexican dishes you shared with me. From now on, every time I eat a garnacha, arrachera, or taco al pastor or drink an horchata de coco, you will always be on my mind. Our trips to Catemaco, Veracruz, Naolinco, Mexico City, Cancun, Xico, and Coatepec will always be cherished memories. There are so many memories flooding my memory right now that I can't sort through them properly. Your family was always welcoming to me and made me feel like part of their family.
I will never look at Disney in the same way. You were so filled with love for all things Disney that I couldn't help but enjoy it along with you. You taught me that it's OK for a grown man to get caught up in the moment of singing "It's a Small World" and "Part of Your World".
¡Gracias por todos, mi hermano! Nunca te olvidaré. Siempre serás mi amigo mejor. ¡¡Te quiero mucho, hermano!! Siempre serás parte de mi mundo.
Noel Toral RomeroFebruary 14, 1965-December 23, 2010
4 comments:
Kewin your words r real beatiful we (my wife Lety and I Beto) want to thank u so much, we feel real touch it by, we really apreciate, he will be always here among us, we r sure he's now into the arms of God and of course his be loved mom
All we have lost a great brother and human been
Lety send u a lot of blesings and huggs
That was beautiful, Kevin. I miss him, too.....
I was so shocked this morning to receive Jaime's email to tell me of dearest Noel's death. I was physically shaking through shock and felt sick and then the questions arose, why?????????
Dearest Noel, from your friend David in the UK, I wish you some amazing times in Heaven with Mamma Lettie.
I have such amazing memories of my times with you all in Xalapa in 2006/2008 after my surgery.
Please know that I will never feel the same now that you are with us but deep down, I will never forget a little man singing away in his car to the sounds of Yuri and Diego Torres.
I send you love from Earth to Heaven,
David, UK
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