Monday afternoon, we lost one of the most remarkable human beings I’ve had the pleasure of knowing inside and out, Veronica Marquez-Garcia. I met Veronica a few years ago when she came in for an interview at House of Blues for the restaurant manager position. I was intrigued about her, that spunky personality and confidence she carried along with her. Soon after, I would learn just how special she was. I was 19 years old working as a hostess in the restaurant. Veronica knew I was destined for more and she took me under her wing – she became my mentor. We spent so many late nights and weeks with no days off… we became family. There were many times when I wanted to give up because it got difficult, frustrating and I felt like I wasn’t good enough. Veronica made sure I never gave up. Always encouraged me and lifted me up every single day, no matter what she was going through. That’s just the type of human being she was – carrying the weight of everyone else’s problems on her shoulder but always with a smile. She was not only my mentor in the workplace but also my mentor in this path we call life.

Once we were no longer working together, I was afraid our relationship would slowly diminish. I was so wrong, it only got stronger. Veronica was a big sister and even a second mother to me at times. We laughed together, cried together, danced together… and although I was only able to spend the last few years with her, they were the best years for me. Veronica was fierce, intelligent, brave, selfless and had the most adorable laugh that was so contagious, you couldn’t help but laugh with her, even if you had no idea what she laughing about (which happened often).

Up until Tuesday at 8:33am, I lived my life as if time didn’t exist. I never appreciated how precious every single second spent on this earth really is. How you treat your peers, family, friends… every single day could be the last. I’ve lived my days thinking, “I’ll do it tomorrow”. That’s the problem – tomorrow is never promised, to any of us. We are trained to live our lives as eat, work, sleep, repeat. Because of this, we tend to miss out on the important things in life – enjoying a beautiful day outdoors or stopping by an old friend’s house just to say hello. Losing Veronica is a tragedy and it leaves us with broken hearts. But knowing Veronica, she wouldn’t want us to dwell on the “what if’s” or the “I should have’s”. She would want us to learn from this experience. Hold onto your memories with Veronica, hold them close to your heart. Remind yourself that every day is a gift. Let go of the things you cannot control. Say ‘I love you’, ‘You changed my life’ while you can – it might all be gone tomorrow. When you say goodbye, make it a mission to carry on her legacy – live your life with positivity, integrity, give back to others and most of all, do it all with love. Veronica left a mark on all of our hearts and we will love her forever.

Thank you,

America Cedeno

She must have had rough or challenging days on the job or in her personal life,  but-you would never know it by talking to her. All of her conversations & e-mails would open with "Happy Monday", "Tuesday", "Thursday" or whatever day it might happen to be. Her notes would always end with an inspirational saying of one sort or another. She was truly a delightful person & someone that I will really miss.

My thoughts & prayers are with Veronica's family.