The foundation-In Memory of : Jaime Martinez

If you are here on my website, chances are you have a loved one that has passed away. First, my heart goes out to you and your family! I know and understand what emotions you are facing. Whether your loss was recent or not, the feeling of grief never really goes away. You still miss them; you still cry for them, and it always feels like it was just yesterday.

My name is Marlena Martinez, I own JM Headstone Cleaning & Care LLC and I would like to share a piece of my heart with you and what inspired and lead me to my business.

Last year, (2021) my dad was having a hard time breathing and went to the ER. He tested positive for COIVD and needed breathing treatments. On September 11th, 2021, the doctors determined that the breathing treatments were unsuccessful and somehow convinced my dad that the only thing to help would be intubation. (BTW they didn't let him make any phone calls before being intubated, we had no idea and didn't find out until later that afternoon.)

We stayed by his side while he stayed intubated and on paralytics fighting for his life! He had 3 close to death encounters and was now suffering from kidney failure all while being on life support. (Prior to this my dad was very healthy with slight high cholesterol. He was 54, close to retirement and was living his best life) My dad was literally fighting COVID for his life, but unfortunately after 4 weeks of fighting his body was tired and he just couldn't fight anymore and on October 5th, 2021, my dad took his last breath......

Now, when I say this pain is unbearable and constant, trust me it's so much worse than that. I cannot even begin to explain or express what this has done to not just me, but my brothers, my kids, my dad's siblings, his mom and the many people that knew him. It shook my family, it shook me. It changed me, it literally altered my life. I love my dad with my entire heart. He was an amazing father. And to know he is not here anymore really messed me up. I am still in disbelief that I will never get to hug him again. My entire world fell apart. Here I was, 37 years old and have to live the rest of my life without my dad. I didn't know what to do with myself.
 

After the funeral, I was at the cemetery every day. I would just lay down next to my dad and cry. I was losing my mind. I started to take things to make for my dad's gravesite and I actually felt peace when I did. Then I started to decorate his gravesite all the time. When Christmas came, I put up a tree, hand made the ornaments and just made it cute. 

And while I would sit there, I would see families come and go and then there were the gravesites that never had a visitor. I would wonder where their family was, and I actually started to feel really sad for these people that have passed. They never had any flowers or decorations, not even for Christmas. Or their entire plot was just so dirty. (Cemetery maintenance did cut the grass but there was always grass thrown back on the headstone, bird poo or debris and garbage from people littering.)

It was at that point that I thought to myself. Well maybe they don't have families or what if their family lives far away or is disabled or 

can't drive. I thought of so many reasons why families didn't come to see their loved ones. And that is when it hit me, I could be the person that families call on to help them with cleaning their loved one's headstone and help with decorations etc. I thought about it for months. I talked to a few people about it and every single person said, "That would be a great business!!" or I've never heard of anything like that, it would be a great help for so many people!!". I thought about it a couple more months while researching everything and then I just hit the ground running with it. After about a month or so of getting everything put together and this website built, I knew this would become something.

And I owe it all to my dad, JAIME MARTINEZ (JM Headstone Cleaning) My dad always encouraged me to do what I love and be good at it. So, this is for you dad! I love and miss you more than I could ever have known. Everything that I strive to be, everything that has changed me and made me a better person is because of you dad!! I will forever and always keep your name alive! You mean so much to me and life is not the same without you. Sometimes, I'm lost, and can't help but cry for you, what keeps me going and pushing is knowing that what I am doing is in your honor! And that brings me comfort! I know you're here with me!! 

XOXO,

Your one and only daughter-

Marlena