Microsoft Word - Eulogy of (Integration 3).docx Eulogy of : A Life Well Lived and Well Done Carlos was the light of my life. Those that knew him would agree that he had a wicked sense of humor that created such a wonderful atmosphere for all those who were around. Even when I was little, I remember him making me laugh so much I would nearly cry. No one was upset around Carlos for too long – although he did have his serious side too, of course. Pride could be said to describe Carlos' life. He was proud to be Puerto Rican. He could love nothing more than spending as much time as he could hidden away in the mountains of the municipality of Jayuya, eating Lechon and tostones with friends or just hiking through the mountains. It was because of that love for Puerto Rico would always lead Carlos to tackle Puerto Rico’s problem as they were his own. Carlos’ dream was to return to Puerto Rico with a Notre Dame degree and be there for every natural disaster or economic issue to be at least one more man on the job. This is a skill he only fortified at Notre Dame and that was preached by the famous Father Hesburgh himself ("Hesburgh" by Jerry Barca & Christine O'Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two). Incredibly, the only thing Carlos loved more than the island itself was Puerto Rican culture and family. Carlos advocated for the creation of as many connections as you could in your community. This is something all Puerto Ricans learned during Hurricane Maria because it is those emotional connections that bind a community together take make it all the much stronger and happier as both coexistence and overcoming adversity is achieved ("Why the only future worth building includes everyone" by Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Week seven). Being both a friend of Carlos as well as a fellow Puerto Rican, I can remember all the times Carlos would mention in conversations either by text or calls during our days in college expressing everything he missed from the society he left in Puerto Rico. Carlos was also proud of his friends and family; anyone that was friends with Carlos would always know a handful of Carlos' family members' and other friends' names and a tangential story to accompany those names. Most importantly, pride describes how we all here today feel about having Carlos be a part of all our lives. Having known Carlos my whole life, I regard myself as one of the lucky few who can call themselves as "Carlos Historians". While I have there are seemingly endless amount of stories I could share with you all that would serve as an testament to Carlos' exceptional character and persona, the only one I must repeat in front of you all regards our upbringing in Puerto Rico. It was right after my single mother had to move away to work in the states, but making the tough choice of allowing me to remain in Puerto Rico for my final two years of high school with the rest of my friends and family. While it had been my decision to remain behind in Puerto Rico, it did not make the unavoidable sadness suddenly disappear. Being only sixteen at the time, I could not live by myself. The solution to this came in the form of 's care, devotion, and kindness as he somehow managed to convince his family to allow me to live with him for what was potentially an indefinite amount of time. Carlos, to be able to even present such an offer to me, had to not only convince his parents to quite literally feed another mouth as if they had adopted a new son overnight, but also solve the logistical issue of where I would sleep. In case anyone was wondering, I just turned the guest bedroom into my room; Carlos was limited by the fact he could not just construct a new bedroom by hand, but if he could, I am sure he would have done just that. For the next year and a half, Carlos became like a brother to me. We shared meals, alternated who would drive to school in the morning, and even his dogs would occasionally respond to me before Carlos himself. Beyond just daily interaction, Carlos and I would even delve into deeper topics such as the night when we just were reminiscing about Hurricane Maria. It was not one of those conversations full of humor, but we talked about a topic that is especially relevant now: always remember you are going to die, so live your life without wasting a moment. Carlos did just that ("Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die" by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week Three). For the first two months after my mom had left Puerto Rico, it was Carlos who would quite literally be there for me, no matter the time. When I just needed someone to vent out my frustrations regarding the whole situation, he would just listen. For those crucial first few months, Carlos was flawless to his dedication to being not only my friend, but my confidant. That trust held true even through college as we both frequently had conversations about how our majors of choice did not determine out lives. We both made a promise to each other to prioritize finding careers that fit us, instead of forcing ourselves into careers we don’t enjoy ("Navigating your Career Journey" by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development- Moreau FYE Week Four). Despite my mother being able to return to work in Puerto Rico halfway through our senior year of high school, and allowing me to return back what used to be normality for me, I cannot help but regard that year and a half I lived alongside Carlos as one of the most memorable parts of my life. Carlos' passions in life were not limited to interacting with friends and family. I was lucky enough to have participated in many of Carlos' outdoor hobbies. I was his lifelong fishing buddy as we pillage the Caribbean Ocean for as many Mahi-mahis as we could over the years. I was his hiking partner across many trips from the central mountain range in Puerto Rico to the final mountain in the Appalachian Trail, Mount Katahdin, all the way in Maine. Carlos loved hiking to be alone with the wilderness, to be able to be in an empty space relative to society and life that he always told me he “could feel in his bones” ("Why we need to slow down our lives" by Pico Layer - Moreau FYE Week One). It was on those hikes that Carlos explained his approach to self-reflection during his moments of solitude. He suggested to not get caught up in our own minds. Too much introspection can lead to only more confusion about who you are. Carlos shared with be that only small bursts of introspection are healthy and to live your life without worrying too much about your own image of yourself ("The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There's a Wrong Way)" by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six). One hobby I was never able to match Carlos in no matter how many times he invited you to learn was slalom water skiing. One thing that unites both Carlos’ love for the tropics and mountains would be his love for cooking for those he cared about. I will never forget his concentration while manning a barbeque as he perseveres through heat or cold to make sure he was proud to present his friends and family with a meal that matched his love for them. I will never be able to recall eating with Carlos and not be smiling. There is a phrase in Puerto Rico that goes “La grasa que nos une” which roughly translate to the lard that brings us together which I feel perfectly reflects all the times eating longaniza, making hamburgers, and grilling steaks with Carlos made us somehow one step closer to each other. Carlos was a true man of the seas and mountains, but never facing any of them without the company for any of those attending this solemn event today. I would like to thank all those who have come here today to celebrate Carlos’s life. I am certain that any and all those in attendance today all share the same grief of having lost the man you all both cared for as much as he cared for you in return. I especially want to thank Carlos’ older sister for being always providing Carlos with discerning conversations that always led to personal growth and self-reflection. Carlos always said if it wasn’t for his sister, he would not have been able to realize himself to switch majors in his Freshman year of college (Discernment Conversation Activity- Moreau FYE Week Five). Despite time healing all wounds, time will never let us forget the man who was Carlos Unanue. From his character and humor that would light up any room to his care and attention to all those he held dear to his heart, the aspects of what made Carlos the man he was will live on with us for as long as we exist.