Reynaldo, although he didn't graduate with his class, took great pride in being a Gaucho! He received his GED, and left school early to work towards helping his mom with raising his younger brother and sisters.  

 

He was known for his infectious smile, warm personality, and even sometimes for getting into trouble.  He wasn't an angel by any means, but often reminisced about his high school years and always had great things to say about the friendships and good times at ECHS.  He came to the US with his mother, a single mom raising 7 kids on her own, after losing his father at the age of 10.  He was forced into the role of head of the family at an early age, which again was one of the main reasons why he left school early.  After the death of his only-child several years ago, he realized the importance of having the Lord in his life, as well as how important it is to appreciate even the smallest things in life.  His favorite saying, which he kept in his wallet written down on a piece of paper was as follows:  

 

It doesn't matter where you go in life... What you do, or how much you have. It's "who you have beside you" that counts.