My brother Joe was a car enthusiast. He was a natural-born leader. He was goal-oriented and resilient—a friend and confidant to many.
Joe broke a lot of barriers before he was killed at age 22. He became a young father at age 17. He was a young but loving father to his daughter, Kayleen, and hardworking husband to his wife, Gina, also 22. His daughter was his world, his motivation. Everything he did was for his little family.
On May 13, 2018, the night of Mother’s Day, he was shot dead in the living room of Gina’s parents home. They were simply celebrating his mother-in-law and all the other moms of the family, including Gina.
In a split second, our whole world shattered. Not only did we lose a brother, son and friend, we also lost his wife, Gina, and daughter Kayleen, who was only five years old. A whole family, gone.
Our pain exists to remind us of all the love they can no longer receive. They are truly missed.