By Kevin Coughlin
Friends of Javier Avelar will gather for a candlelight remembrance tonight, Nov. 3, 2015, at 7 o’clock in front of Morristown High School.
Avelar, 21, passed away on Sunday, after an 18-month battle with an aggressive form of colon cancer. Despite several surgeries, and kidney failure that made his last weeks painful, he never complained, according to former MHS classmate Caitlin Castillo.
“He always stayed positive, and really became a hero to us all,” Castillo said.
Avelar graduated from Morristown High in 2013 and was attending the County College of Morris when he was diagnosed with cancer. He was so inspired by his medical caregivers that he contemplated becoming a nurse, so he could help others, Castillo said.
Friends remembered Avelar as a fun-loving person, forever cracking jokes, with an unforgettable laugh and smile. He played soccer, and was a devoted fan of the Real-Madrid team.
“Javi you always fought for every last ball on the field and I know you’ll fight like hell against this. Thinking and praying for you,” a friend, Conor G., wrote on a GoFundMe page launched last month to defray Avelar’s medical expenses.
“Your strength is beyond inspiring and you are a true hero to all of us!” Erika Ortiz added.
The online fund drive has raised more than $19,000 so far.
Castillo of Morristown, remembered him as “someone who filled his lungs with love.”
He was, Castillo said online, “a courageous, kind, funny man. A man that never took a second on this earth for granted. A man who was incredibly in love with life. A damn good man… Our time here is not guaranteed. Today send a kiss to the sky to my sweet sweet friend. We love you.”
Another friend, Myles Mislavsky, wrote:
“Javi was truly loved by everyone. He had a radiant smile, an infectious sense of humor and the heart of a lion. He was a warrior on the soccer field and an absolute lady killer. I know that he will always have a special place in my heart and motivate me to work hard always.”
Avelar is survived by his parents, Rafael and Rosa Avelar, and his sister, Iris Avelar, all of Morristown.
A wake is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 4 pm to 8pm at the Dangler Funeral Home, 600 Speedwell Ave., Morris Plains. A Funeral Mass will follow on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 10 am in St. Margaret’s Church, 6 Sussex Ave., Morristown. Burial will be at Holy Rood Cemetery in Morris Township.
Editor’s note: A miscommunication resulted in an earlier version of this story attributing Caitlin Castillo’s comments to another mourner.
