RIP Joe
I'm at a loss for words over this story, Joe was a friend, and a close friend of my brother Steve and his family, doing everything that young families do together. He was one of the most generous guys I ever met, and someone you learned something from every time you ran into him. He's well known around SGV youth sports, and played for Duarte's High School's 1992 football team that advanced to the CIF championship. He worked with Magic Johnson and married his high school sweetheart Debbie, has three kids and another on the way. He was living the American Dream and was as humble a man you ever meet. We're gonna miss you Joe, God Bless and Rest in Peace.
By Rebecca Kimlich
When West Covina resident Joe Lopez learned around Thanksgiving that his wife was pregnant with their fourth child, he was thrilled, according to his close friend Steve Robledo.
"We have four children, and he used to look at us and say `we would love a family like that,"' Robledo said. "So when they found out, he was really excited to tell us. He told us, joking, `we finally caught you Steve."'
Lopez was killed Sunday in a motorcycle crash during a race at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. He was 32.
Friends and family members said Lopez died doing what he loved. He was racing a Suzuki 600 Superbike during a novice race when he crashed into a safety barrier a little after noon Sunday. He died less than an hour later.
The event was the first time Lopez had raced in such a large venue. His wife, three children, cousins and uncle were there to support him, his brother George Lopez said.
"That was a big one for him," he said.
Though motorcycles were a passion, Lopez had many loves, family and friends said.
He was also a coach, a computer programmer, a business owner, an entrepreneur, a huge USC fan, and, above all, a husband to his high school sweetheart and a father, George said.
"He was full of life. He was a dreamer, a thinker, the smartest one in our family. He got straight As. He had a ton of friends. Everybody loved him. He had so much going for him," he said.
He was known for his generosity, open home and eagerness to bring family and friends together.
"He was the kind of guy who didn't let you spend a dime at dinner," Robledo said. "He is someone who just never said no to anybody."
Among the stream of people who have been expressing their condolences to the Lopez family was basketball legend Magic Johnson.
Lopez met Johnson while doing computer consulting work for him through the company Lopez owned - West Covina-based Adaptive Information Technology Solutions.
Lopez eventually combined two of his interests when he convinced Johnson to start an American Motorcyclist Association superbike team. Lopez was in the process of finding sponsors, George said.
"He had just gotten the go-ahead for this team, which was going to rival a team owned by Michael Jordan. It was all he could talk about lately," Robledo said.
Johnson and his family visited with the Lopezes for several hours Monday. The famed former Laker star plans to set up a scholarship fund in Lopez's name "targeting Latino minds like Joe's," George said.
Johnson also said he was committed to going through with the motorcycle team.
"We are going to keep this going for Joe," George said.
Lopez grew up in Duarte, where his parents still live. He is the second oldest of three brothers and one sister.
He went to Duarte High School, where as a running back he helped take the team on a rare trip to the CIF-SS finals.
While there, he also met his future wife, Debbie Lopez.
"They went to prom together, winter formals. They were so happy," George said.
The two are parents of one son, 13, and two daughters, 10 and 1. Lopez spent much of his free time coaching his kid's soccer, baseball and football teams in the area.
"(Debbie) is struggling ... he was her everything. And having a little one doesn't help," Robledo said. "He did everything for his family."
The whole family is having a difficult time, George said.
"They are strong kids though," he said. "The middle daughter is a little trooper, I haven't seen one tear from her eye. She is trying to keep strong for her mom."
The family has set up an account at Wells Fargo Bank in Lopez's name.
rebecca.kimitch@sgvn.com
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2105
Comments
What a beautiful story, MEN like this do not come around too often.
Posted by: lynn84@aol.com | January 8, 2009 10:03 PM
What a beautiful story, MEN like this do not come around too often.
Posted by: lynn84@aol.com | January 8, 2009 10:02 PM
Rest in Peace Joe. My thoughts and prayers go out to your friends and family. It was my pleasure and honor to have known you.
Posted by: Dukes Friend | January 7, 2009 12:42 PM
Without knowing this man , I won't say to much . May God look after his family & friends in this great time of sorrow.Stay close to one another ,and take comfort that someday you will see him again .
TM
Posted by: Trojan Man | January 7, 2009 12:34 PM
Joe really was one of the easiest going guys I ever met. My family and I were fortunate to get to know him and his family over the last year and a half.
For as many things as Joe had going on in his life... I admired the way he made time to coach youth sports.
He will be missed by us and all that knew him...
Posted by: Richard Cazares | January 7, 2009 12:33 PM
I'll help donate money to the racing team in honor of my friend David Carrillo.
He would have liked that.
Fred hopefully some day I'll go to a race and see my friend's initials on the Riders jacket. "DC"...flying around the track.
I'll wear my customary dark as the night sunglasses and think about the best of times and shed a tear I'm sure.
If I see you there I might have a hard time talking, for once, but know now Joe and David are laughing how it all came together.
You think the family would be okay with that? Seems my friend David and Joe had a lot in common.
Life has a funny way of coming full circle don't you think?
Posted by: Frank Corona | January 7, 2009 10:30 AM
Dang - between these two stories and the Ortega nightmare I am emotionally spent. As always there is a message in all the tragedies whther or not WE get it depends on us. Life is not a given, enjoy each day and be kind. pretty simple right?
Posted by: value of life | January 7, 2009 10:16 AM
it's really incredible how sudden people are taken from you. I lost one of my best frends 27 years ago in a motorcycle accident. Just like Joe he had 3 kids but was only 20 at the time.
A day doesn't go by that I don't miss him. We played every day during the summer. Football , baseball,Army...anything that kids do during those early summers of yesteryear. We shared a common bond. His father beat him like a dog and our family was his safe haven.
The day before David died we were running his Yamaha 1100 over 100 MPH on the Santa Ana Fwy.,,,in the emergency lane! during bumper to bumper traffic...David was fearless.
I was on the back holding on for dear life saying my prayers while he told me to hang on. It was crazy crazy crazy but we were young and invincible....or so we thought at the time.The next day he ran into the back of a semi while trying to avoid a kid on bike. Died instantly as his heart slammed into his chest.
I never cried so much in my life. I think I cried for 4 days srtaight every time I thought about him. It was my first year of marriage and we used to talk about our kids someday growing up together and us getting old and being crusty old farts. I lived in the back house of my parents duplex and he lived across the street.
It never happened for my friend David Carrillo. One thing he did though was have a bucket full of Life Insurance. It was strange for a kid so young to have almost quarter of a million dollar Policy back in 1981 but he did. Maybe he knew something.
I hope people take the time to look into that "piece of mind" so many of us take for granted. Within the year I did the same and have always increased my Insurance Policy as my family grew.
Magic johnson is a terrific guy. I had teh pleasue of meeting him while I rehabbed my knees at Kerlan Jobe. He was extremely gracious and funny as all get out. Doesn't surprise me one bit that Magic would do what he's done.
I hope people take the time to prepare for a day like this. Ironically today I pick up my Insurance Policy from the same againt I'vehad for over 25 years. Finally got everything I could have ever imagined in order. When I'm gone all wife and kids will all be very very well taken care of and join a very exclusive club. Tta's not being morid just sheding light on a forgotten reality of life. Failing to prepare is preaparing to fail.
I'll never forget how much it hurt to lose my "brother"...and he was that. I finally went to his grave 20 years after they buried him. I only made the Rosary because it was too painful. I cried my eyes out for hours and finally said my goodbyes. I still miss him every day and wonder who would have gone bald first. Maybe he would have taught my youngest tyo play guitar or they could jam together. Every time I hear my son play i'm reminded of David. so I guess I've come full circle on that.
Never seen his wife or her kids again. She did what David always wanted to do. get out of the neighborhood and see the world. She moved to a lake town in Washington and remarried I'm sure. At least that's what i was told and hope is true.
I guess what I'm trying to say is try and enjoy life while you can. Be genenous with others, be kind to those with less, learn to forgive and never take a a day off with your kids, enjoy your family, and squeeze every once of pleasure from every day but please take the time and prepare for a day like this.
Where ever you are David I still hear your crazy voice in my head after all these years....and I thank God for all the things we learned from each other. Love Life, Love Family...You used to always say..."You can't pick your family but you CAN pick your friends!" David's abusive drunk SOB Dad never drank again. I hated that man but learned a valuable lesson from him. Never hit your kids. Ever.
Thanks David...I miss you.
May God Bless the Lopez family and all his many friends. My prayers are with you.
Posted by: Rest In peace | January 7, 2009 10:02 AM