Family, friends remember LV football player

Monday, Dec. 1, 2003 | 11:06 a.m.

An emotional daylong viewing for football player Edward Gomez took place Sunday, a day after his former Las Vegas High School teammates posted a 41-7 state semifinal victory over Palo Verde.

"They played their hearts and their souls out for Eddie yesterday," said Pati Chun, whose daughter, Cindy, is a cheerleader. Chun kept vigil at the back of a chapel at Bunkers Mortuary during the 9 a.m.-7 p.m. viewing.

Hundreds of family members, fans and friends stopped by the funeral home to remember the 17-year-old Gomez. He died at University Medical Center on Nov. 23 after collapsing on the sideline after the team's 38-14 victory over Desert Pines in the Sunrise Regional championship game on Nov. 21. The cause of death was blunt head trauma.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. today at St. Anne Roman Catholic Church.

Daysi Ramos, Gomez's mother, said she wanted Sunday's viewing to last the entire day because that is the way her son would have wanted it.

The night of her son's last game, Ramos had to go to work dealing cards.

"Always I follow my son everywhere. The car, the house were always full of people," Ramos said. "That's the first time in seven years I missed a game. When I was going to work, I told him, 'Hey, Eduardo, good luck, I hope we win this game.' He said, 'Don't worry, Mom.'

"He's here," she said, pointing to her heart. "He's my star."

Gomez's father, Eduardo Gomez, said: "To me, he was a superman."

Ariel Gomez, 12, said he wants to follow in his big brother's footsteps.

"I plan to go to Las Vegas High School and play football," Ariel said.

The football player's casket contained two teddy bears, one in baby blue, his favorite color, and a miniature football.

Nearby was a Las Vegas High football helmet that had been signed the entire team, coaches and cheerleaders.

Flowers and candles filled the chapel with a sweet scent. A photo montage of Gomez's life played on videotape, noting his birth date of Aug. 31, 1986.

Friends wore pale blue ribbons and T-shirts bearing his name and his uniform number -- 21.

They remembered him as a warm person whose home was constantly filled with friends.

"He'd pop in and out and give everybody a kiss and then he was gone again," friend Michelle Piotrwski said.

Leonela Gonzales, 18, said: "He was a friend through and through. You couldn't pass by him without a hug."

Michael Guido, who had coached Gomez in junior high and during his freshman year, alternated between present and past tense when talking about Gomez.

"He's a wonderful kid," he said. "We were blessed to know him."

"I wish people had the heart he did. His heart was bigger than this church."

The only consolation in the untimely death was that Gomez "died doing what he loved doing."

Gonzales agreed. "His life was football," she said.

Earlier in the fall, Gomez had faltered in his schoolwork and his grades had dropped, Guido said. But Gomez managed to apply himself to his classes with the same gusto he put into a game: He went into his last game with a 3.4 grade-point average, Guido noted proudly.

Guido said he hopes his 5- and 6-year-old sons grow up to be like Gomez.

Nohra Lopez said she had known Gomez since he was an infant.

"It's unbelievable," she said. "It was very sad, tragic. ... He was really a good kid. He was really so nice."

Lopez's son, Brian, 14, grew up with Gomez.

"I used to go over to his house and play with him," he said. "He was my best friend."