Natural Lefty
03-16-2011, 03:41 PM
I got the sad news two days ago. Some of you may have known him too. His name was Giovanny or Giovanni and he was a young hispanic gentleman with an infectious, optimistic personality and striking blue eyes who used to fish often at Lake Perris. I must have met him about 12 years ago or so when he was around 12 years old. His mother used to take him and sometimes a friend of his to the state park then pick them up later after she finished work. I befriended Giovanny since he and his friend seemed to have no adult supervision and he didn't seem to have a father figure. I would take him in my car from one fishing spot to another, give him jigs or bait to use and chat. Sometimes I would give him an extra Bluegill or two he said his mother liked to eat. I would wait for his mother to come so I would know that he could get home safely. This went on several times per year for a few years. Eventually, he stopped coming to Lake Perris though.
However, last year I was going to teach my class at school (Moreno Valley College, which is next to Lake Perris) when I heard someone call my name "Natural Lefty" (no, Robert actually) from a white SUV, and it was Giovanny. I found out that he had gotten married, had an infant daughter in the car with him, and met his wife Jasmine who was going to school here. (I am at school now on a break between classes.) We saw each other several times and chatted as he dropped Jasmine off or picked her up, but then I stopped seeing him. Now, it turns out Jasmine is in one of my classes and she gave me the bad news two days ago. It turns out that Giovanny developed high blood pressure, was given meds but was reluctant to take them. They were probably very expensive for him too since I don't think they had much money. Jasmine told me that at the end of July, Giovanny had a bad headache so they went to the hospital. His BP was out of control, so they gave him something to decrease the BP. Either they ODed him or it was too late; it's not clear to Jasmine. but Giovanny went into a coma and died the next day. He was only 24 years old, thin and appeared to be in good health, so it's a total shock. Giovanny was a great kid I was proud to call a friend. RIP Giovanny, wherever you are!
However, last year I was going to teach my class at school (Moreno Valley College, which is next to Lake Perris) when I heard someone call my name "Natural Lefty" (no, Robert actually) from a white SUV, and it was Giovanny. I found out that he had gotten married, had an infant daughter in the car with him, and met his wife Jasmine who was going to school here. (I am at school now on a break between classes.) We saw each other several times and chatted as he dropped Jasmine off or picked her up, but then I stopped seeing him. Now, it turns out Jasmine is in one of my classes and she gave me the bad news two days ago. It turns out that Giovanny developed high blood pressure, was given meds but was reluctant to take them. They were probably very expensive for him too since I don't think they had much money. Jasmine told me that at the end of July, Giovanny had a bad headache so they went to the hospital. His BP was out of control, so they gave him something to decrease the BP. Either they ODed him or it was too late; it's not clear to Jasmine. but Giovanny went into a coma and died the next day. He was only 24 years old, thin and appeared to be in good health, so it's a total shock. Giovanny was a great kid I was proud to call a friend. RIP Giovanny, wherever you are!