Christian James Salumbides

An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Christian, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark, the twinkle of an eye. or with his infectious laugh. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Christian really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Christian was born on April 26, 1996 at Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside, California. His parents were James Salumbides and Melanie Tossey-Salumbides. Christian was raised in Corona, California and Riverside, California. Even as a child, Christian had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring, loving and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely the life of the party and made it his passion to ensure everyone had a smile or laugh on their face.

Always a good playmate, Christian was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during uneasy moments. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around his loved ones. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Christian managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Christian had one sibling in Chloe and she meant the world to him.

All of Christian's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Christian experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in tee-ball and basketball. He trained at All American Karate at the age of 6. In his spare time he loved to be outdoors and play with his friends, play video games, collect Pokemon cards, watch Disney movies, play sports and attend sporting events. Christian's most memorable achievement was receiving the President's Award at Jefferson Elementary.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Christian was a class “class clown” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Christian simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Christian, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Christian's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Christian graduated from Centennial High School in 2014. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Photography. In addition to graduating with honors, Christian played boys water polo all four years and made the varsity team in his sophomore year, he will be remembered by his teammates for scoring nine goals in one game during a water polo tournament.

Christian never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Christian to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Christian delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Christian was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Christian utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Joey Martinez, Sami Martinez, Alec Stephenson, Miguel Escobar. Later in life, he became friends with Ozzie Cuevas, Gadiel Solis, Corey Griffin, Armando Leon and Diosvany Carballosa. Christian loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

At work, as in life, Christian was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Christian liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Christian was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Christian's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Christian as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupations were in retail and warehouse management. He was employed for CVS for 6 years and Keystone Automotive Industries for 1 year.

Christian enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Christian liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were attending sporting events, fishing, hiking, going to beach, anything associated with Marvel and spending time outdoors with his family and friends. Christian was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Christian felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Christian loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Christian relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Christian never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Christian played water polo. Recreational sports included bowling and golf. Christian was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball, football, hockey and Nascar.

A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, Christian often found himself involved in activities he deemed important. He was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer.

Living life in the fast lane suited Christian just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included visiting the Hawaiian Islands, Pismo Beach, Zion, San Diego and Las Vegas.

Christian was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Christian's favorites was Boo Boo, a Siberian Husky. They were best friends for 8 years. In all he had five dogs, one cockatiel and sea turtles.

Christian passed away in his sleep on October 22, 2022 at his Riverside home. He is survived by his parents James and Melanie and his sister Chloe.

Christian brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Christian James Salumbides lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will forever be remembered with a smile.

A reception for Christian will be held Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Mortuary, 11500 Arlington Ave, Riverside, CA 92505, followed by a visitation from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.PierceBrosCrestlawn.com for the Salumbides family.