Anthony!!! Our Gladiator!

Dear Antonio Juan Mendez! This day I mustered up the words that were so difficult to articulate! I will never say goodbye! I will say I love you my brother all the time! Such a GIANT in everything!!! Because of you I’m going to live a little more; because of you I’m going to laugh a little more because of you; I’m going to love a little more.
I’ve always seen those three together “live, love and laugh” and I can realize and understand this day that you did that! In your 35 years… you truly lived it 100 fold. Every day you had — you seized it! For none was wasted! It’s like you said even in your “bad” days you made sure you were the baddest! And I love that about you.
You accomplished in 1/3 of a life span what others could never accomplish over triple that time. Often myself, stood in awe like HOW, WHY…. what is so different? But this week has brought me a TOTAL understanding of that. Because GOD IS GOD and He numbers our days. So now we know in completion that God accelerated you above the rest because He wanted to TAKE YOU TO BE WITH HIM just like Enoch! Because you walked so closely with God and were his loving worshiper!!!
He prophesied over you and your legacy. It came to pass!!! You planted! You went international! You have a beautiful family, home and church!!! You preached like crazy! Taught! Equipped your family, your friends and your church! You helped to save the lives God showed you to and then God knew!!!
He knew He needed to take you.
He knew it was gonna be like that.
So He put you in a deep sleep! It’s so unexplainable that we know He took you PRIOR TO THE CRASH! And only your body remained and was damaged… not you!
Not you!!!!
You excelled daily! Your passion blazed across the nations! It is stamped on our hearts! We will never be the same again… not out of sorrow but out of APPRECIATION to the man God made you to be.
Every day you loved your family like crazy!
In your busyness, you made SUBSTANTIAL time for them including them in your authentic, authoritative and audacious world! It was so orchestrated by the Love of God because it was uncommon! Your love for Nelida your beautiful mommy!!!! Your love for Cristina your brave, beautiful and fierce wife! Your love for your amazing children Ezekiel, Isaiah and Ezrabella was evident!!! Your love for Juan was exemplary!!!!! Honorable!!!! He was like your dad and bestest friend in this planet!!! You told him EVERYTHING!!!! Even in a moments call you filled him in!!!!! Cassy and Sammy you loved them more than life too!!! They were your kids!!! They have your humorous, humble and hunting DNA to ACT without thinking!
And us— wow! What can I say! Except that I loved every word that came out of your mouth, the sound of your coughing laughter!!!! We were the greatest siblings on the planet!
I looked up to you! But you looked up to me… WHY!!! I will never know that …. So much so, you selected a wife with the same name!!! It was PERFECT! Just like God wanted!
You lived to the fullest ANT!
You laughed the LOUDEST!!!
You loved more than anyone else in this family and that teaches us! You are the true PIONEER of the Mendez and Montalvo legacy!!!! A huge Kingdom General! Our Gladiator!!!! You even carried others when you needed to be carried yourself!  I wanna do more because of you. And I want to do it right.
Now I know…. your anointing is here, laughter here and so many more tasks that you will see come to fruition!

So God sat you down, called you in the midst of this fast paced world and took you to your new glorious home!

I love you ANTHONY!!!! So much! I know you knew that and cherished that too. I promise to pick up where you left and love the ones you loved so dearly! You will be so proud of me. In His Name.