See Beyond – July 2019

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Julian Alexander Vazquez is a sophomore at El Camino College. He graduated high school from South

Bay Faith Academy. Julian earned his private pilot’s license at sixteen.

As a child, Julian started his own neighborhood dog walking business. He

joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Explorers where he

assisted with safety, community relations, public events and participat-

ed in numerous nationwide explorer competitions. He graduated from

the Marine Corps’ Devil Pups program, an intense ten-day citizenship and

leadership youth training at Camp Pendleton. Julian works for the City of

Torrance Parks and Recreation department as a Park Ranger and is a Police

Cadet for the El Camino Police Department. Because Julian comes from a

family of law enforcement, both jobs suit him well. Julian intends to enter

law enforcement and perhaps own his own aviation company someday.

When he’s not working, you can find him flying across the South Bay skies

or enjoying time with his close-knit family of five.

July/August 2019

Tuto wanted to teach me so many life lessons

during these last months. He emphasized taking

care of my teeth, often boasting that all the nurses

and doctors were amazed that he still had all his.

He told me to focus on treating people well and

loving my family. He came home from a doctor’s

visit one day in tears over a little, old lady he met

in the waiting room. She told him how ill she was

and that her two children didn’t care. She had to

manage her visits and treatment alone. She told

Tuto how lucky he was to have so many fami-

ly members with him at his appointments. My

grandpa was heartbroken for her.

During this time, he also started giving me little

mementos, like his cufflinks, tie, and the electrical

cord. I didn’t know where to keep these things,

so I just stuffed them in that useless little wooden

box.

The week after Tuto died, my grandmother gave

me his cologne and the last photograph taken of

us. I placed them in the box, too. For months,

I visited these items often. It was comforting to

touch his things and smell his cologne. After a

while, I didn’t open the box much because I was

afraid the special scent would fade away. The little

wooden box had become my most prized posses-

sion.

A few months ago, someone made me think of

that photo, so I went to get it. As soon as I lifted

the lid, I was back in that hot, stuffy garage, cut-

ting, sanding, nailing and staining. But this time,

I was not in a rush. This time, I enjoyed every

minute, every sound, every scent and every drop

of sweat. I found myself laughing at how much

I struggled to hit the nails straight, how I bick-

ered with my brother over who was doing a better

job. I could hear Tuto’s voice encouraging us as I

smelled the delicious lunch my grandmother was

preparing. I delighted in him calling himself Su-

perman, instead of just rolling my eyes. He really

had been Superman all along, the best husband,

father and grandfather. He could fix anything.

He was the one you could count on. He led by

example and left behind an honorable, loving

legacy. I took a deep whiff of that Polo Sport, oak

wood and electrical cord and felt Tuto’s presence. I

also decided that I will force my grandchildren to

make a little wooden box with me someday.