Miguel E Escalante

Miguel Enrique Escalante, the son of Isabel Yolanda Orbera Escalante and the late Miguel Angel Escalante was born on April 25, 1962 in Habana, Cuba and passed away suddenly on March 29, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. When Miguel was three his family moved to Manhattan NY through the Miami immigrant center. He was very proud to be Cuban and a New Yorker. Growing up Miguel loved baseball, basketball, football and hockey. He was an avid follower of the NY Rangers, NY Jets, The Knicks, NY Mets and even the Boston Red Sox in the ‘70s and ‘80s when they had great players. He had a huge, soft spot in his heart for animals and rescued exotic birds. Because of his interest in becoming an airplane mechanic, Miguel attended Aviation HS in the Bronx.

Miguel loved every martial arts movie ever made and trained in martial arts, Tang Soo Do (a Korean martial art that combines elements of shotokan karate, subak, taekkyon, and kung fu), for many years, earning a second degree blackbelt. While in the Bronx Miguel met Curtis “The Rock” Sliwa through the martial arts school, and was recruited for the Guardian Angels which he participated in for more than three years. Miguel went on to teach martial arts at the Daniel Pope Karate Institute in Pennsylvania to children and in Tucson because he believed it not only taught them self-defense, but also discipline and focus.

He loved tropical fish and even had fish tanks when he was young. In Arizona, Miguel designed and maintained large aquariums for individuals and businesses.

Miguel married Iris Louise Chase on August 15, 1998, after the approval of his favorite pet bird, Blondie, who was like a daughter to him. He completely opened his heart, not just to Iris, but to her family, and later took faithful, loving care of Iris’s mother (Henrietta Chase) when she was ill.

He and his wife went on many cruises together and honeymooned in Mexico. They enjoyed innumerable good times: going to salsa concerts, reptile and bird shows. Miguel adored his wife and would sing karaoke love songs to her, cook Cuban meals on special occasions and loved to make her laugh.

He always had time to listen to people in need, using honesty about his personal struggles to encourage others to be brave and truthful about life. Miguel was a passionate supporter of his family and friends and had an amazing sense of humor that made others laugh. Anyone close to Miguel knew that once you were in his heart you never left.

He talked faithfully to his mother every Sunday and was extremely proud of his nephews and nieces. Miguel spoke of them often, always wishing he could see them more. Known as Uncle Chong/Chong to his nephews, nieces/cousins, he told them:

“When you think you’ve tried hard enough and it’s not working... Try HARDER!!! Do NOT GIVE UP!”

One of his favorite activities was discussing life and politics with his eldest daughter, Amber. Known as Baba by his granddaughter Ruby, who was the love of his life, he taught her to say every night before bedtime:

“I love you to the moon and back and all around the world.”

The memory of Miguel’s fierce love and humor is held by: his mother, his wife Iris, daughters Amber and Jeanah, granddaughter Ruby, sister Susana, brothers Edwin, Juan and Orestes, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends, who were family to him.

Miguel will be deeply missed by each and every person blessed to know him.