Marcella A. Tortes

My beautiful friend,

I cannot believe this has happened it’s so devastating. But I’m lighting candle for you tonight to honor you because you deserve that respect for your goodness you gave to me and soooooo many others without ever expecting a damn thing in return. You truly are a special person. 🕯️ I wish more than anything that I had told you just how much you changed my life while you were here. You probably never even knew how much you helped me, just by being you.

When I met you, I had been carrying so much heaviness for so long. I had lost faith in people and in the good that can exist in this world. But somehow, without even trying, you brought that back for me. Being around you felt like escaping the harshness of life for a while and stepping into pure light. Even if we were doing absolutely nothing, you had this way of lifting my spirit and reminding me that life was still worth it again.

You gave your heart so freely. The way you loved people, the way you made everyone feel special and cared for — it was something rare. And your laugh… that laugh will stay with me forever. The way it made everyone else laugh too, the funny little comments you’d throw out that were so perfectly you. There was truly no one like you.

I’m so honored that I got to know you and call you my friend. Even though the time we had was short, the connection felt deeper than friendships people spend a lifetime building. It honestly felt like I had known you since we were kids. You made such a real and lasting impact on my heart.

It hurts knowing you’re not here anymore. I won’t lie — it’s going to be hard learning how to keep living in a world without you in it. But I will always be grateful that I got to experience your realness, your light, and the kindness you carried in your soul. You reminded me that genuine, beautiful people still exist.

I know you’re physically not here with me anymore, but I believe your spirit is still shining somewhere above, watching over the people who love you. Please keep looking down on me sometimes, because I know I’ll still be looking up to you for strength, for light, and for the reminder of the kind of heart I want to carry in this world.

As hard as it is to say this… go make heaven shine even brighter. I know you will, because that’s just who you are — a light that makes everything around you glow.

I love you, my friend. I will keep missing you until the day we get to meet again. And when that day comes, it will be amazing to see you there and have you bring me through the gates.

Until then, thank you for changing my life for the better and being in my corner, you were truly so special to me and so many ….always making life better, even if you never realized you were doing it. I will carry that gift with me forever and always be thankful for having received such a blessing.

Love you always, my friend. 🕯️love your crazy loud mouth friend lyss