CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Dia de los Muertos is a two day event that millions of people celebrate from all over.
The popular event began yesterday, where children who passed away were honored and celebrated, today adults were. Lots of residents took time out of their day to visit their loved ones who've passed at Seaside Memorial.
"Music, dancing, she didn't dance like...you saw her dancing and she was still doing the robot. She had her own style. She was breath of fresh air," said Jennifer Prado, the mother of late Gabrielle Prado who died four years ago at the age of 21.
Family friend Kathy Hernandez said that Gabrielle's energy is still missed by her loved ones to this day.
"Her big saying, when she had something really juicy to tell me, 'I got tea to spill' and I'd be like 'come on over'. When we're here gathered together, it's like we're spilling tea with her and that was her famous thing," she said.
On Dia de los Muertos, Seaside Memorial swells with Coastal Bend residents who are paying respects to their loved ones. The beautiful holiday that started in Mexico found South Texas and the Coastal Bend nicely. Unlike Halloween, residents aren't scaring spirits away, they're welcoming them.
"This is a day where we will celebrate the past and we will celebrate the future," said Deacon Richard Longoria.
All were welcome to the cemetery. Not just friends and family.
"I just walk around praying and praying the rosary," Longoria added, "blessing the graves. If anybody is there, a family or someone, they'll ask me to come on over and pray with them for their loved ones and families".
The holiday is to honor and celebrate the ones we lost too soon, but doing that can be hard too, and that's okay.
"Just about every family I was saying prayers too, indeed, started crying. But it was a joyful cry," Longoria said.
Despite the tears and heartache, residents are reminded that they can continue to revisit them through their memories.
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