 
 in Memory of Shaun Anthony Ortiz born on a day with a beautiful Sunrise, December 6, 1968 and certainly the sun set so slowly as it darkened our lives on June 16, 1999.... Shaun was so excited, he could not wait about greeting the year 2000, he talked about it for years as it grew closer, he was going to become part of history among the other things he had succeeded in doing.
The happiest day of my life, December 6, 1968, I remember it so well; waiting for a precious baby, a beautiful Sunrise had started the day, like a warm spring day. The baby that was to arrive December 23, I remember thinking, talking to God and saying “ Oh God please don’t let him share his birthday with Christmas, let the baby have it’s own special day” Not to long after saying that I decided to lay down for awhile, as I started to climb up on the bed, my first sign appeared. Shaun Anthony Ortiz was born on December 6, 1968, I remember that day so well, and we had such a beautiful Sunrise for December. It was like a warm spring day. Shaun could not wait until December 23, his due date, for only he knew why he could not wait, he had a little brother coming to this earth with him and his brother knew they could not wait any longer. They did not want to. They knew their due date was the 23rd of December and would not take any chances of being born on Christmas Day. I was expecting one baby, but when the doctor looked at me and pointed two fingers up. I asked “two what?”, never even thinking of what he was going to say. There were two babies. Two precious little wonderful tiny babies being born to me. A gift from God. From the day Shaun was born, he knew he would do everything different in this world. He was born feet first, that should have warned us, how his life would be, so exciting and thrilling. As he grew, he continued to make sure he would do things different, boys were riding bicycles he was riding a unicycle and mini motor bikes. Boys had dogs he had a ferret, friends had gold fish he had a giant turtle. That was the beginning of his childhood, and he kept it up all his life on this earth. Looking for exciting and thrilling things to do, to name a few, skydiving, snow and water skiing, sleighs and tobaggans, canoeing, rafting, bungee jumping, snorkeling and scuba diving, for he was determined to experience life. These are only a few he did not do, yes racing motor bikes, roller blading, skate boarding, ice skating, we were astounded of where did he get all this energy for these ideas, he had made a list, but sadly did not complete it while alive, but did after he was called and that was to climb a very high mountain, and hang gliding, those he did on the day he was called home. Yes he was a thrill seeker. Shaun was well known in this area, you could ask someone about Superman and they would know who you were talking about, thoughout the bay area……….He would come home and worry us sick of what could have happened with all his exciting thrillers, as he spoke with such high energy, explaining his experience for his list was a long one, motorcycle and surfing, breakdancing were his favorites. Breakdancing made him popular, breakdancing got him his name Superman. Breakdancing took him home on one of his favorites, on his motorcycle. Shaun was with friends showing young boys, how to have fun, at the same time keeping them off the streets, one thing he enjoyed doing, keeping kids off the streets, for he wanted to be a policeman at one time, but quit the academy when he thought, it was not the way to help youngsters. That night, June 16, a Wednesday night, Shaun called me, “Hi Mom, what are you doing,? We chatted, he said he had to leave, said “Love you” our always goodbye on the phone, like an automatic, but meaningful and hurtful if one of us would not say it to the another. They were all at a youth center, after a good long practice, it was time to start getting ready to come home. A young boy asked him, if he would do a wheelie, he would do it in the parking lot, because the boys got such a thrill. Shaun knew the bike well, he returned back to the boys and the young boy asked him asked him to please just one more time. Shaun answered “Ok only one more time, because I have to go home now” DID HE KNOW?? Shaun started off perfectly they said, and all of a sudden he lost control, we don’t know if he saw the truck that had just finished parking there, that had not been there, we don’t know if maybe he tried to avoid it. But it was to late, Shaun and the bike hit the truck, Shaun went over the truck, the bike under the truck, Shaun rolled over the, impact was so hard it carried him to another car, Shaun’s body moved that car into another one. Shaun finally rolled over to the driveway as the boys ran to his aide. Was it to late already we will never know, they tried to revive him, but his heart had been crushed, innocently his heart was damaged more by trying to save him. He was taken to a trauma center, he was riding in an ambulance then having surgery, as we casually talked on the phone to friends, chatted with people that had stopped by to see my roommate at the time, was getting ready for work, the phone rang, my roommate answered and she called me....she said it is the hospital!!!!!!!!! Shaun had an accident!!!!....they would not tell me anything, except that I should get to the hospital. I ran franctically to Mark, we left to the hospital where all the boys and his girlfriend waited for us. They took Mark and I to a special room, my heart exploded, why this room, the little boy that had asked Shaun to do the wheelie was in there and they took him out immediately, when we arrived. I was screaming where is he, is he Ok, I want to see my baby, my son, my life....and the words came, the words I almost knew were coming....”he did not make it” was all I heard, the rest, I can continue to tell you three years later, when I started coming around to this empty world, my son was gone, from this life, God had loaned me Shaun and now the time was up. Strange how we had sat and watched the sun go down that night, not knowing or even in our mind that we were watching Shaun’s last Sunset in a hot summer day in June. I often wonder if he saw it, it gets dark very late here during the summer it can be 9 and it is just getting dark....did he see it????? So many questions unknown, but slowly Shaun gives me answers, but I have to wait for my Sunset to know “What really happened””” Shaun is loved and missed by so many, Shaun is so handsome and was a looker, girls eyeing him all the time. But he had three girlfriends during his life, but was dedicated to them, each of them for a long time relationships, years at a time. I think he had found the right one, but that we won’t know either. I know I was suppose to write a short little story but I finally got to write things that just poured out. I could continue, for there is so much to his life…….he never stopped, his favorite saying was TO INSULT DEATH, IS TO INSULT YOUR LIFE....yea, he was a Bruce Lee fan, and had most of all like everyone said as a young boy, “ he always has to be a perfectionist.” Can’t stop until he has it downpat....like the rubic cube, he put it back together in less then two minutes at the age of 7....he had to show that to so many, he had a wonderful smile when he amused people. Then of course he had to learn magic to conquer it and mostly to show young kids, he loved kids, entertaining them being a freind, keeping then off the street. The Human Angel, he was too, he was even a magician for young kids.  A Moment In a moment all of our tomorrow disappeared into today. In a moment all of our lifes’ pictures Were torn apart and thrown away. In a moment, my nightmares all came true I was left alone without you. In a moment With my hearts voice screaming Our future disappeared If for a moment I could touch your face Hear your voice, the pain erase. If for a moment I could send away the emptiness. Just for a day. If for a moment It just simply wasn't true. Then in that moment I would live. But there isn't such a moment. Not today. And I must learn to live another way. 
 
 
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