It is with unimaginable sadness that we share the news of the passing of our sweet Megan.

Megan was part of the LGBTQ community and identified as non binary preferring the pronouns they and them.

Megan was born September 12, 2004. A perfect beautiful little baby. Our ray of Hope. Their soulful eyes held promises of joyful days to come. We saw in them their maternal grandmother's love and sacrifice.

Megan is a mirror of their dad's strength and daring and their mom's artistry and quiet charm.

Megan had been an amazing athlete. They participated in 3 triathlons, bike tours, half marathons, swimming, track meets, open runs and various fun runs supporting worthy charities.

Megan translated the world around them visually. They were recently inducted into the National Art Honor Society. They had a keen eye for the world around them. They profoundly expressed themselves through their sculptures, drawings, paintings and wonderfully unique and bold sense of fashion.

Megan was a quiet and happy soul who generously used their time and talents, often going the extra mile, to make people happy. They loved creating and giving heartfelt gifts for their dear friends, teachers and family. They advocated for dyslexic students, climate change reform, animal rights, mental health awareness and LGBTQ equality with kindness and compassion.

Megan's light blazed brightly and beautifully.

Megan passed away March 22, 2020 after a long battle with anxiety and depression. Megan spent their life struggling to survive. This beautiful, smart, compassionate, creative human being, was a survivor in every sense of the word. They were doing so well. They wanted so much to get better. In the end, their pain was greater than their ability to cope.

Vaya con dios, our dear Megan.

Megan leaves behind their loving dad, mom, brothers, rescue cat Mittens, uncles, aunts and cousins.

* * * * * * *

The days have been hard.
Each day greets us with this realization. Our  world is emptier without you.

We see you and hear you in so many things that we do. There are so many days that have you written all over it.

Our heavy hearts lighten when we think of your smile, how you enter a room, a silly song, a dance, a joke you told, your eye roll and hearing you say "ugh", "pfft" and giggle over a "lame" thing that we do, we miss your random interjections of "moo", "merp, "blep", "meh", "bloop", "squoosh", in conversations. etc. Everything reminds us of you and it hurts. You should be here.

There are moments, for just a split second, we forget and then it hits us like a ton of bricks. We feel a stab in our hearts, so deep and painful, that we cannot face the fact that you are gone.

The world is a much darker colder place without you. We find bits of solace in your rainbow of memories you left with us and others.

We love you and we will miss you forever.

For Megan
by L.A. Ochoa

I have been tossed in an ocean
Surrounded by a feeling
Treading water, but only enough
to keep myself from giving up

I'm numb from trying so hard
A fire burning in my chest
And I can only hope that someone
Hears me in this silence

And when the ocean is calm
It overwhelms me
And when the storms come
They drown me

And still I find myself clinging onto you

'Cause the ocean, it may have taken you
And flooded the world with sorrow
Your memories are an island
And I am washed back to shore

And the waves, they batter me
And the storms still rage overhead
I have found myself on firm ground
Because of you

And on your shore, we will build castles
And on your shore, we will find shells and pebbles
And on your shore, we will be calling out to you

And as the ocean washes away the castles
The crashing of the waves drowns out our voices
The ocean brings us treasures
The memories of you

* * * * *

A memorial service will be held in the coming months