Danely’s Eulogy

On Tuesday November 3rd, heaven got a little sweeter. Our journey here on earth with Danely came to an end as she left her earthly body and received her heavenly one, now perfectly healthy and in the arms of Jesus. Below is her eulogy that Chase read at her funeral Tuesday evening. We mourn her loss but celebrate that we will see her again in the presence of our Lord.

I wanted to share these words to honor Danely and express what Danely Elizabeth meant to me, to my family, to my children (Antonio, Rony, Marvin, María, Britany, Génesis, Norma, Onisha, Félix, Marcos, Nahún, and Escarlet), to the women and caregivers of Casa de Niños, and to everyone who is part of the Loma de Luz community.

Danely loved big. She hugged tightly. She smiled often. She laughed loud! She was a friend to everyone. No one was ever a stranger to her. She was the best companion. She always had a listening ear.

She joked, played, danced, and sang. She was grateful and always appreciated the generosity of others. Whenever someone gave her a gift, she made sure to show it to everyone in the room.

She always knew who was nearby just by hearing two footsteps as they entered the room. She was never without her painted fingernails, and she would always say to me, “Aaaahhh, Chase, when are you going to do my nails?”

Danely was joy and strength. She was a reflection of God's wonderful handiwork. God formed her perfectly in her mother's womb. She was a daughter of the one and only true King. She was baptized and boldly spoke about what Jesus had done for her on the cross. She knew every worship song and sang them loudly, without a bit of shame.

Outside of Casa de Niños, her favorite place was El Camino, where she spent time with her classmates, who are now in sixth grade. She was always welcomed there and deeply loved.

It is incredible to see how the Holy Spirit worked in the school and through the children to bring Danely so much joy and happiness. I will always be grateful to El Camino, the teachers, and the students for helping Danely enjoy her life to the fullest.

Looking only at Danely's physical condition, someone might think, “What a sad life she must have had!” But nothing could be further from the truth. Her physical condition was never what defined her.

What defined her was the blood Jesus shed for her and for each one of us. She had a strength that could only come from the Lord. Danely did not live feeling sorry for herself. On the contrary, she made the most of every single day. Even at the very end, she did not want to stop fighting. And I truly believe it was because Danely's people were many. So many people loved her, and she loved so many people. She fought until the very end for all of us.

Her spirit kept fighting, but her body could no longer carry on.

We are grateful to God that He chose us to walk alongside her on her journey home to glory. We had the opportunity to love her, care for her, and be part of her family. And she was never a burden. It was always a privilege.

There is great sadness in having to say goodbye, but there is also great joy in knowing that she is now healed and in the arms of Jesus.

Today, heaven is more beautiful.