Gabriel Jossiel Lopez

WORCESTER/VISTA ALTA, PR – Gabriel Jossiel Lopez Carrasco, 9, of Vista Alta, Puerto Rico, died peacefully in the loving presence of his family and the staff at Why Me’s Sherry’s House in Worcester after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in Vista Alta, Puerto Rico the son of Jose Gabriel Lopez and Maralice Carrasco Rodriguez. After receiving the news that Gabriel had cancer, the family moved to Worcester for his care and treatment in April 2011 and resided at Why Me/Sherry’s House. The family stayed there until his passing early last Thursday morning. Besides his parents, Gabriel leaves his brother, Jobriel Manual, grandparents, numerous cousins and extended family members both here and in Puerto Rico.

Family and friends gathered at Sherry’s House in Worcester for several hours on Saturday night in remembrance and honor of Gabriel’s brief, but beautiful life. Gabriel’s parents, brother and relatives accompanied him early Sunday morning on a flight back to his home town in Puerto Rico. A funeral service was held on Tuesday followed by burial at Cementerio Nuestra Senora Del Carmen where he was gently laid to rest.

Funeral arrangements were handled with tender care by the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. Memorial donations may be made in Gabriel’s name to Why Me, Inc., 1152 Pleasant St., Worcester, MA 01602 ( www.whyme.org ). To share a memory or offer a condolence to Gabriel’s family, please visit www.milesfuneralhome.com