Some people only walk this earth for a short time. Their departure reminds us that angels are watching over us. Our beloved Phyllis Gonzalez rejoined her heavenly family and gained her wings. While her death was unexpected Phyllis suffered drug addiction and for years we feared her addiction would claim her life.  Phyllis Gonzalez was born in New York and had two sisters and one brother. They all grew up in Miami. She leaves behind her four beautiful kids and seven beautiful grandchildren. We wish she had recognized the beauty and strength that everyone else saw in her. Addiction, however, won the war. To the person who doesn't understand addiction, she is just another statistic that chose to make a bad decision; a very uneducated statement indeed, but none the less that is what they will say, along with some other hurtful statements. We don't care though, because for people who do understand, this is our everything. She was a mother, sister, a niece, a granddaughter, a friend, a cousin, a human being with an addiction. She turned to drugs to make her feel normal like everyone else. The drugs told her "I can make you feel accepted, I can make you feel alright, I can make you feel worthy, I can make you feel normal, I make you feel loved and I can make you feel nothing and make you feel like everything will be okay." What it didn't tell her was how it would devastate her family and tear it apart, take her job and leave her penniless, take her home and make her homeless. How it would take her sparkle and smile, how it would take her humor and how it would take and take and take until it took her life. Our prayers worked and she may not be here physically, but she is working miracles from Heaven. Shine down on all of us and keep working those miracles from Heaven. Phyllis never judged a person in her life and opened up her heart to everyone.

Her family did hold a memorial service with close friends and family for her February 23,2020 at a family church 7410 park city dr Jax fl 32244