Ralph Brandon Lara

Loved-cherished-admired son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, ‘uncle’ and friend, went to rejoice in paradise on November 04, 2023 at the age of thirty-one.

Ralph (Brandon) was born to Ralph and Marguerite Lara in Torrance, California on December 20, 1991. At the age of two days, his fraternal grandmother noticed Brandon lifting his head and looking around the room, while being held by his father, showing his innate strength. During his third year of life, Brandon embarked on being a gamer, learning to read by playing Batman Forever on Sega Genesis. In addition, he became very proficient with educational computer games designed for second grade students, and had yet to begin traditional schooling. When Brandon did, he was a perennial top student, earning many awards, accolades, and recognition along the way. A photographic memory was an advantage he held, as shown by becoming an esteemed mathematician. Brandon was definitely gifted and relentlessly competitive; however, his good hearted temperament, kindness, friendliness, and caring meant he was an absolute joy to be with, despite consistently winning. Online, perhaps a different story, at times. In Brandon’s twelfth year, a chronic disease befell him. Before this, gaming for Brandon was always casual. The debilitating areas of this disease are what made gaming take on a new meaning for him, as he segued into independent studies. During Brandon’s battle with his illness, he worked hard and graduated on his own at the age of eighteen with the rest of his class. In the midst of that hard work, it was gaming that kept Brandon’s stress down and allowed him to escape, for a time, away from the pain and struggles his illness caused. Brandon rode the momentum of graduating and went to college the following fall. However, this would not last. In the fall of 2012, Brandon was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, this was caught early in stage one, but he needed surgery to remove the afflicted organ. This surgery, coupled with the stress of the entirety and fluctuating hormones left behind by the removal, led to a digestive tract flare that lasted about three years and left him virtually bedridden. Brandon was unable to go to school or work. Paraphrasing Brandon’s own words, the only saving grace had been his family, who understood and were willing to look after him as he tried different medications to get back to relative normalcy. In 2020, a paralysis causing spinal lesion was identified.

Brandon earnestly continued to enjoy life with gaming (computer, handheld, console, cellphone, et al.), of course, comedy movies, cooking shows (he was a very good cook), sports with dad, binge-listening to podcasts with mom, outings with family (including Disneyland Resort and theater movies), learning a third language, streaming, social media, and lots and lots of laughs!

He lived in Gardena, Moreno Valley, and Riverside, all in California.

Brandon was preceded in death by his grandparents Ralph (his namesake) and Ermelinda Lara. He is survived by his parents Ralph and Marguerite Lara, his brother Gabriel Maldonado, his grandparents Paul and Sandra Wheeler, his four aunts and four uncles, his fourteen cousins, and numerous ’nephews’ and ‘nieces’.

We invite you to join us in honoring the life of Ralph Brandon Lara during the streaming of his funeral service. Your presence, even virtually, is deeply appreciated during this solemn time as we gather to celebrate and pay tribute to his beautiful life and cherished memories.

Thank you for being a part of this meaningful moment.

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