Michael Santa Maria, born January 30, 1963, was loved by many; by his family, by his caregivers and friends at Peppermint Ridge in Corona, by the staff and volunteers at the annual RAD Camp for the developmentally disabled at Vanguard University.
Basically, loved by just about anybody and everybody he met, each of whom he invariably greeted with an enthusiastic grin and a bone-crunching hug.
Mike loved to play. Swim noodles, toys that made sounds or played songs, or just sharing random pages from coloring books - anything where he could engage other people and make them smile.
He had his moments of anger and impatience. He suffered many many medical problems. He was confined to a wheelchair in his final years. But he never lost his sense of fun, he was always basically happy, And he never failed to engage those around him to make them happy, too. Michael Santa Maria was a lovely, beautiful, wonderful human being. We're very proud of him, And we miss him.
