I knew of Chris when I was at La Salle because his younger brother Ben was my close friend. Chris was an outbound senior and I was a freshman. We didn’t really connect until I was graduating and I decided to go to Cal Poly with Ben and Chris.
Upon hearing I’d been accepted and planned to attend Cal Poly, Chris immediately welcomed Ben and I to college life with open arms. Chris made sure Ben and I were a close part of his friend group and introduced me to all his friends.
Ben and I roomed together in the dorms as freshman and Chris visited us most days and made college life an adventure for us. He was always the source of honest information helping with my transition out of high school. I have fond memories of Chris wanting to spend his time chatting and hanging out with friends at the hookah lounge near campus.
My sophomore year Chris, Ben, Peter, Dennis, Tyson, Davey and I lived in a house together in Chino Hills. Safe to say this was my most memorable year of college. Chris and I became closer and we both craved travel.
Chris learned that my family had a history of going down to Ensenada and he loved Mexico too. He was eager to make trips down so we started going down in 2007 and never stopped. Chris became one of my go-to friends to travel to Mexico with and I know it was our favorite way to spend time together. I showed Chris local delicacies and Chris loved researching and trying new things and pushing us out of our comfort zones.
Chris introduced us to many new favorites in Baja and was always a pleasure to travel with. He had a worldly perspective before I met him and widened that perspective over the years.
After college we stayed close and our friendship transitioned to enjoying all Los Angeles has to offer and traveling to global destinations like Korea and Japan.
Chris and Dennis maintained the friendsgiving tradition we had every year reuniting our friends around the holidays. They asked me to help them start putting on the event so we continue to maintain that tradition every year. Chris always told me that life gets busy and it’s good to catch up with friends at least once if we’re able. He loved to entertain, it was one of the many ways he strived to show his people how much he cared.
Chris was the first older brother figure that I truly looked up to. I grew up a middle child between two sisters so I always wanted an older brother like Chris that was nerdy, witty, effortlessly cool, outgoing, polite but knew best how to enjoy life. Chris never steered me wrong and understood the finer things in life but appreciated and thrived with the simpler things.
I love you Chris. Thank you for your brotherhood of 17+ years. We’ll laugh together again and from now you better be researching the best thing for us to eat when I see you next. No doubt you’ll have a list.
You will live on in forever in the friends and family we share and in all the wonders life has to discover.
