Alex was one of the top ranked soccer players on the El Salvadoranian soccer team in the late 80's. He was shot during a celebration after a game in 1989 and after he left the hospital they sent him to the US as a refugee of war.
Some mutual friends of ours set us up on our first "date", June 1990. Alex proposed to me in April of 1991 (on my birthday) and we were going to be married after graduation in May 92.
It was late October 91 Alex started getting sick. After several trips to the doctor and all kinds of other issues, I forced him to the hospital on November 22nd. The doctor did a complete blood work up on him immediatly. 4 hours after being admitted, he went into a coma. I spent the night next to him. In the morning his doctor came in and told me that Alex had AIDS and probably was not going to wake up.
November 23rd, 2008...
It was 17 years ago today that I held Alex in my arms for the final time. As the tears roll down my cheeks today, I remember how his tears streamed down his just hours before he let go. It is amazing how clear the memories are. How he squeezed my hand just before his heart flatlined. I remember the smell of the room and the beeps from the machines he was hooked up to. I watched the doctors try to restart his heart, to no avail. And I remember assisting the sweet nurse to remove the tubes from him. When she was done she looked up at me with a tear in her eye and said you can stay with him as long as you want.
Alex was gentle and kind. He never crossed anyone and would often balance me out when I was heated. His light brown eyes and soft smile melted my heart. He played soccer way better than I did, but I would never let him know I was inferior LOL. He was at every basketball and soccer game I played in for Cypress. And though he was too soft spoken to stand up and cheer, he always told me on the way home afterwards that I was the best.
Alex was the best. He was my best friend. My best companion. My best love. Years pass and I find that people like Alex are rare. Honesty and integrity... loyalty and dignity are rare... ALex was all that and so much more.
One day I will see Alex again. Until then I know in my heart that Isaac has this amazing guardian angel watching over him. I see so many of Alex's qualities in Isaac though Isaac was born 10 years after Alex left me.
Giovanni Alexander Moreno
July 18th 1968 ~~ November 23rd, 1991
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