Raul "DJ Magnus" Bayona

When Raul Alexander Bayona walked into the room, those in his company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Alex was and how he impacted those around him. Alex was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Alex wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Alex was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve him well throughout his life.

He was the son of Mercedes and Raul Bayona. Alex was raised in Los Angeles, California. Always at the ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Alex might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that Alex was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.

Alex was raised with 3 siblings. He had Two Brothers and 1 Sister. Ron, Christopher and Iris Bayona. Alex was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Alex was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Alex well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.

As a young boy, Alex was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Alex was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Alex took part in Karate class, Football, and playing Basketball with his brother. He was in the High School Drumline on the High School Football Team. In his spare time he liked watching his favorite shows like Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Playing the drums and practicing his karate. He loved to dance and sing along to Michael Jackson and took up break dancing early. Alex memorable achievements included placing top 3 in a Karate Tournament at the age of 9. Alex had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.

During his high school years, Raul responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. He attended and was known at both Glendale and Daily High School and graduated from Daily High School in 2004. Raul absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using his imagination to master his assignments. For Raul, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to his ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Raul a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. His favorite class in high school was History and Drumline. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Miss Jenks, his 2nd and 4rd grade teacher, who was also kind enough to provide pictures of her time with him. Later in his education he also enjoyed his time with Mr. Hakanuka in music class. In addition to graduating he also worked to buy his own car while he was still in school. He was known for his humor and always friendly disposition. All memories reflected him smiling or laughing.

Raul did well in higher education, as a result of his comfort level with tackling new theories and his love of learning. He earned a Telecommunication Certificate from Associated Technical College in Los Angeles in 2005. In 2005, he was awarded an internship at a plumbing company named Big Red that resulted in his permanent employment and first opportunities to travel. Raul was very adaptable, a quality that helped him make the transition from high school to adulthood with little difficulty. As a result, Raul's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that he enjoyed virtually every class he took. Raul was always in quest of new things to learn and experience

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, Raul was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Raul was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. While growing up, some of his best friends were Nancy, Liz, Eddy, Fonzie, Chris, Drewski, Ruben, Breezy, George, Xanya,. Later in life, he became friends with Eddie and Ivan Ramirez, David Fisher, Matthew “Kraze”, and the closest friend of all Adrian.

On October 30, 2014 Alex reconnected with Ardis Brittany Cole later in life after first meeting in High school and reconnected later in life which resulted in an immediate love connection. Alex's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in his ability to make his new family happy. He was quite sensitive towards Ardis's needs, showing his constant concern and fondness. Alex was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served him well in helping to nurture his family.

DJ Magnus was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. His primary occupation was a DJ and entertainer. He DJ'd for 11 years. Beginning just as a hobby and easily transitioning into a successful career that he carried across city and state lines. DJ Magnus was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. DJ Magnus had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. DJ Magnus's fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor. DJ Magnus maintained a career in accounts receivable at Mircochip where he was mentor, Xanya groomed him to take on new challenges and develop new skills that set him apart from the rest of his team.

DJ Magnus derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. His charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, DJ Magnus played football and basketball in the park with his friends. Recreational sports included a love for bowling, playing basketball and football. DJ Magnus was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, The Philadelphia Eagles and basketball, The Los Angeles Lakers. He also enjoyed watching soccer, UFC and boxing.

Throughout his life, DJ Magnus was actively involved in professional and community organizations. He was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, DJ Magnus seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with DJ Magnus usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with him, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. Throughout his later years, DJ Magnus was an active member of the Dash Radio, Scottsdale Night Radio, Make It Pop With Chop Entertainment, DJ Veto Entertainment, Also in association with DJ Mesa Center.

Though he never did anything solely for individual recognition, DJ Magnus's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned him accolades for his many lifelong efforts. Alex performed for his first time ever blowing away the audience as well as the judges at the Power 106 Los Angeles DJ Battle. Also, rated #1 best guest mix with Dash Radio podcast topping in both the United States and Peru.

DJ Magnus's love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of traveling. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, DJ Magnus took his vacations seriously, well, as seriously as he possibly could. He recently went to Aruba and planned to revisit next year. He also enjoyed frequent visits to The Grand Canyon, Sedona, Flagstaff and Jerome, AZ. His dream vacation was to visit Hawaii.

DJ Magnus was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. He has two beloved dogs! Blue Rose his pitbull and Lady Daisy the cocker spaniel, terrier mix, they were his best friends. He has had both pets since they were puppies! Daisy is almost 6 years old and Blue is nearly 4. His first pet that engaged his love for animals was his pitbull Patty. After Patty he loved to visit his doggie nephews Benji, Bandit, Max and the late Whisky.

Raul Alexander “DJ Magnus” Bayona passed away on August 9, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Dignity Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. He fought a brave battle against COVID-19 Pneumonia and other COVID related complications. He is survived by his parents Mercedes and Raul along with his brothers Ronald and Chris and his sister Iris. Services are being held at Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park & Funeral Home. Alex will be laid to rest in Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary in Whittier, CA in this upcoming September.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Alex. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While he was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Alex Bayona for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Alex was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones.