Gabriel Arthur Abril

On January 16, 1980, God blessed the world with a baby boy who was named Gabriel Abril III. Nobody could see how profound his existence would prove to be to those who were lucky enough to be a part of his life. During his time here with us, he touched so many lives, from those in his family, to his friends and his co-workers. There wasn’t a doubt in the world that he loved his family very much and didn’t leave any room for them to question this.

He talked often about how he wanted his father to be happy; it was very important to him that he was always there for his mother and that she could count on him when it was needed; he was not only a brother to his sister, he was her #1 and it made him happy to be that to her; when it came to his nieces and nephews, his love for them and the pride of being their uncle poured out in his tone and lit up his eyes whenever he spoke about them.

Gabe was the kind of friend most people believed didn’t exist. A too-good-to-be-true type. The type most could only hope to ever have and the type most would strive to be but would fall short all too often. If you had his friendship, you were rich in every single way that mattered. When you needed him, he was there. If you wanted advice, he’d give it. If you simply wanted someone to sit there in silence with you while you cried, he was your guy. When you wanted to laugh, Gabe was always a sure thing for that. His sense of humor would have a roomful of people laughing so hard they’d be in tears and by the end of the night, they’d feel like they did an intense abs workout – that’s no exaggeration.

To say that he would give the shirt off his back or offer his last dollar to help someone just doesn’t do his character justice, but he did both more than once. Furthermore, just as quickly as he’d give whatever he had to someone who needed it, he’d take away the hurt and pain and sadness of his loved ones and carry it himself if he could. He truly would and he’d do it happily. He loved so deeply that his heart really would hurt for the people he cared about and he’d give anything to make each one of them happy. He got so much satisfaction out of drawing out a smile from someone who was hurting. Whether it be family or friends, just as strong as his love was so was the fierceness of his protection of them.

He never let harm come to any of his loved ones and if it ever did, he was a force to be reckoned with. While most people make a conscious effort to be a good son, brother, uncle, friend, co-worker…just a good person, he didn’t have to try. He just was. Attributes like loyalty, reliability, dependability, trustworthiness, etc. were the very particles that made him. He simply couldn’t be anything other than these things.

Everyone who knew him has been hit very deeply by this loss and there will be many hearts that will forever have a hole in them. We’re all so lucky to have known such an amazing person in our lifetime because most people will never have that opportunity to even know such a person.

Gabriel Abril is survived by his mother, Susan Voigt; his father, Gabriel Abril; his grandmother Dolores Abril; his two sisters, Nicole Abril and Heather Van Ginkle; his two nieces and three nephews; and ALL of his other relatives and closest friends. He will be forever loved, forever missed, forever remembered and NEVER forgotten.

Services at: Luyben Dilday Chapel, 5161 Arbor Rd., Long Beach, CA 90808, Friday, October 19, 3pm. (562) 425-6401