Help Sheyna and Eliana Create a Loving Memorial

Hello,

My name is Emily Mancuso. On behalf of my best friend, Sheyna Cruz, I am here to share the story of the love of her life who passed on October 19, 2020. His name is Jose (Jorge) Garcia-Barrera Cruz.

When we just graduated high school, Sheyna and I met up with a group of girls to celebrate our friend Fei Fei's 19th birthday over dinner. It was at that point I heard about Jorge and how they met. Sheyna was laughing, sharing about how he helped her up after she fell down a flight of stairs, and they were together since. I believe it was at that dinner she told us that they were engaged and planned to get married the following year on 10/4/2014 (Legally married 4/20/14, ceremony 10/4). I remember thinking, wow that is quick! but also respected the truth of, 'when you know, you know.' They were young, they were in love, and they knew the truth.

About 6 months after they married, they were expecting! I remember the baby shower in the spring was held at Petra's house. Sheyna and Jorge were excited and Sheyna was entertaining guests as I watched Jorge sit there, content, at peace, smiling at her. Jorge had such a calming presence to him. Once thing that was sure was his steadfast love for every little thing about her. He had a quiet confidence and the warmest smile. Although there was a language barrier for those who didn't speak Spanish, it didn't matter. His actions and eyes said it all, and he spoke the language of love and life to everyone. Those that knew and loved Sheyna instantly loved him because we all saw how he lit up her life while he was around. Thanks to Jorge, she was more Sheyna.

Jorge was a family man. He provided for his two princesses, as he called them, and made them feel protected, safe, and loved. On Eliana's first birthday, he was BBQ-ing like a good dad would, laughing with buddies, and giving loving glances at Sheyna. I remember feeling so grateful to witness their love and watch their family grow. Jorge loved his immediate family, but never once forgot about his family in Honduras. Sheyna would tell me how he worked so much in order to financially support his mother and other family members that needed support each month as well. He embodied a sacrificial love that he made look so natural. To give as if it were breathing to him.

I watched him support his princesses on their birthdays, bring home fresh made Honduran food for his wife weekly, spoil them with flowers and teddy bears on the holidays, and I watched him work tirelessly and still come home to Sheyna still with love left to give. One of my favorite memories is when Sheyna and I and the kids came back to the apartment just to see him scurrying to hide behind the kitchen table, as Spanish music was blasting. He was dancing in the living room by himself and got embarrassed, and we all laughed so hard about that. He could always make Sheyna laugh, especially when he could tell she was starting to get tense.

Years and years went by of watching my best friend love and be loved by Jorge. I watched as they endured challenges, forgave each other, laughed together, overcame obstacles together, built a life together, and began building a home together in Cahokia, IL. Jorge was a skilled roofer, working his way up to managing other roofers at this point. I remember Sheyna telling me about them starting a business together. He was a roofer and also a handyman. He gutted their home and basically built it from the frames. Month by month, he worked, gave, loved, and devoted his entire body and all his time to serving his family. Sheyna especially loved working on the bathroom tile work with him. They finished the house up enough to plan a Housewarming Halloween party at their new home in October of 2020.

One week before the housewarming party, Jorge, Sheyna, and their daughter Eliana went over to work on the house. It was raining that day, so roofing freed up Jorge to be with his family. Sheyna left with Eliana to take her to an appointment, and she remembers Jorge giving her his jacket because it was still raining. A little later, he winds up calling Sheyna to check-in and make sure they were safe, telling her to be careful driving since the roads were wet. He then planned to leave the house and head back over the river to St. Louis to meet them at their apartment. 15 minutes later, Jorge collided with an 18 wheeler semi-truck at an intersection. Sheyna and Eli's lives were changed forever, along with those who knew and loved Jorge.

Some may remember the gofundme created back in 2020 when this immediately happened. The funds raised were much appreciated, as Sheyna wanted to honor Jorge's mother's wish to have a proper Catholic burial in his home country by mom in Honduras. Shipping his remains overseas, along with the cost of the memorial service were two important costs that were made possible thanks to loved ones' donations. However, as well all know, grief doesn't stop and time doesn't ease loss when we are talking about love. Therefore, Sheyna's family is still in need of some love and support from us.

Because of this happening during COVID, not being able to afford lawyers and obtain enough evidence to fight against the trucker accident, Sheyna struggling with Grave's Disease and Lupus, learning to raise a child and provide on her own, and because of not having his actual body here in America, creating a space for him was not something that was immediately part of her plans and processing of grief. Now that some years have passed, Sheyna and Eliana both have gathered enough strength and acceptance to have discussed buying a plot at a cemetery just so they have an official place to visit, decorate his grave, have a special place to talk with him, and make a new bond of love and continue their relationship in a new way. As Sheyna continues to struggle with medical illness, now which involves heart challenges, us supporting her and her family would be one way we can all continue to keep the spirit of her devoted husband alive, by helping provide for her in ways that she needs support and help.

After reaching out to Bellefontaine Cemetery, they shared that we could indeed purchase a single plot for about $500. When we asked about a headstone, they stated it could range from $1,000- $2,000. Because of this, I set the gofundme to hopefully raise 2,000 in order to help Sheyna and Eliana kickstart this process of officially 'memorializing' Jorge here and having a space to forever call theirs. When speaking to Sheyna about it, both Eliana and her look forward to visiting on the Holidays, anniversaries, decorating it, and going to visit often and make new memories with Jorge.

Any amount of support would mean so much to her whole family. We appreciate you taking out time to step into the story of her love, feel and carry this burden alongside Sheyna and Eliana, and keep Jorge's generous heart alive. Lets show them some love.

The hopes is to raise enough funds in their Wedding anniversary month and the month of his death anniversary (October) so that they can order a plot and headstone by the end of the month.

Again, thank you for choosing to care, listen, learn, love, and serve.

God Bless you.