Tommy Anthony Guajaca

Tommy was born in Harbor City, California. He was the eighth child of Emilio Delgado Guajaca Sr and Carmelita Salcido Guajaca. When entering this world, he almost died at delivery, where it had been alarming to our parents of the doctor giving my father a choice in having my mother to terminate and she totally refused and took the chance of both their lives but with her love of faith in God, they both survived. As a young boy, he was so precious. He had the body of a mini body builder. His chest curved in making him looked as if he had biceps, abs and muscles and so mini and cute, where all my school friends would just think he was so short and quiet but always smiling and laughing along with all. He being the baby of the family, he just fit in and was so quiet we rarely knew he was there! One time we went to our ritual every two weeke grocery store trip and I remember it well, it was a store in Carson, California and in our ststion wagon we proceeded to jumping in car fully loaded with groceries and while driving away, I hollered, "Where's Tommy?!" My father who was complaining at the time at high priced receipt, immediately flipped a U and rushed bsck to store where we found Tommy still sitting in basket in the parking lot and my mother sobbing in tears and me and Richard laughing nervously while we all jumped back into station wagon. But that was Tommy. For the remainder of his life he was always like, "Oh well, it is what it is" attitude. Precious Tommy adored his parents. Our parents seemed to be very old by the tjme theybhad and kept him. Devout Catholics who looked at all the birthd of their children as gifts from God, as they should. Tommy was almost destined to be spoiled from our father, who shared a special bond with him. Our mother too, made sure this eigth child will never hurt or want for nothing. As life went on, Tommy befriended friends and family and was deemed as Uncle Tommy because of the births of our nephews and neices where some were older, Like Johnny and Emilio III, to the ones thst were born weeks after Tommy like Lisa and Lawrence. And so and so forth, with Regina and Christina, Stephen and it was just us for a very long time before the later babies thst weee born. And there Uncle Tommy stuck as being cute and funny yet very true. Tommy went on to make neighborhood friends and continue his schooling where he was out of our family at that time the 3rd to graduate and walk that stage of getting his diploma from Lakewood High. Tommy's admiration and closeness of many conversations with our father sculpted Tommys frame of mind where he cery much admiration of our dsther that he wished tornbe just like him. Tommy was not a drinker, I recall one time his friends knocking on door and knocked on door apologizing but carried Tommy to the porch and made sure he was safe and left, lol you know who you are and anyway, from my own recollection Tommy never drank after that. He drank but nothing like that day. Hed sip a Budweiser, maybe finish half of one or turn down when offered. Tommy wanted a love to share a life with someone and he did accomplish that in his younder days. Out of that first love, he was found to be a father of a peecious baby girl. He has a Buick regal, his girl and a babygirl thay carried his name and for that we are so grateful for that joy Tommy had. As life went on, Tommy held some jobs here and thwre but look forward to our yearly damily trips to New Mexico. He helped our father driving when he got oldwr and his lovw for music, especially Ramon Ayala and Selena and Los Tigres, he just love bejng so close to iur father driving the3000 miles with so muxh laughter and awe in our dather. By the time reality struck we lost our father which we all mourned but Tommy really did. He lost his best friend, his comrade his life line. 2 months later we lost our eldest brother. Life for the Guajaca family started to become real. As life went on, our mothrr became ill and had to live in with Lucy and then with me. She lived for 7 years and had her house at 2322 Baltic there for her remaining sons, Gilbert, Richard and Tommy. Unfortunately, Tommy ended up incarcerated. During this difficult time, our mother passed away. I did everything I could in trying to get him to attend this special funeral, but unfortunately he missed that. I thibk down deep, he lost a partnof his heart at that time. Eventually he got out and came home. The executors of our parents will were him and our sidter Ramona, and hsving to get this property sold and divided with us livjng children was a task in itself. Brother Richard took ill and was very bad with his illness died in a room shared with Tommy. I remember getting that frantic call from Tommy telling me he thinks Richard died. I could give him instructions on chrcking for a pulse and he crying thst he was cold and hard, broke us. Told him to call ambulance as he waited for me to arrive. There again, another traumatic life change for Tommy. By the time we got passed that, Tommy comes to live with me. When living with me he was robbed of his money, but afrer he did spend most of it on helping others in family. He also helped in purchasing Richard's double plot and asked if he could be buried with Rich. I promised him if he oassed before me I would. He became more depressed and I didnt know how to help him. He was robbed for his money he had left and by this time he felt useless. I tried to te him as long as I am alive, hed be cared for. One day he spoke to A cousin, Martin Guajaca who had lost his mother, our tia Lala at that time. He asked me if I could buy him a round trip flight sp he could be eith his cousin and get away for a while. I helped him and he was happy then he had a heart atrack. st the time Two year later, we lose Gilbert who had left to Colorado to live with his daughter Gloria and grandkids. We get Gilbert cremated to fly him home and Gilbert did purchase his own funeral except he didnt have a plot.