“He was a good kid, and he always tried his best. He was always fun, and always happy,” freshman Matias Diaz, Julián’s cousin, said. 

The Mustang community is grieving the loss of freshman Julián Jeronimo Sanchez Popayan who passed away on Oct. 17, 2023, after being hospitalized due to a fatal brain aneurysm. Since his passing, the friends, teachers, and staff he left an impact on have been struggling to process the loss they have suffered, including his ELL (English Language Learner) teacher, Bella Gallegos-Martinez.

“I remember on the first day of school, he seemed a bit shy, but after talking to him it felt like you were talking to a friend,” Gallegos-Martinez said. “He was super bubbly, funny, and goofy. He left a positive trail everywhere he went.”

During Julián’s time at Metea Valley, he formed several connections and bonds with the people around him. In his ELL classroom, teachers and students alike mourn the laughter and joy he brought to the community.

“ELL is very close-knit, so this has been difficult for us,” Gallegos-Martinez said. “We took time to cry and be there for each other, but more importantly we took time to celebrate the little things about Julián. He loved the color black, he loved to play soccer, and he was always cheerful and full of life. That’s what we remember when we think about Julián.”

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Metea’s administrators are working to commemorate Julián’s life. For principal Daniel DeBruycker, the process is difficult, but it is important to ensure that Metea responds appropriately to the tragedy.

“The first thing we do is try to communicate with the family,” DeBruycker said. “We have a crisis team meeting with teachers, counselors, administrators, and deans to figure out our path forward in supporting the school through the loss. They are very difficult meetings to have, but I am very proud of our staff for joining together to commemorate the student we lost.”

DeBruycker personally understands the importance of taking time to grieve and mourn following the loss of a loved one.

“I lost my mom on the fifth day of school, and I can attest that it is a uniquely tragic, hard, and painful experience,” Debruycker said. “Even so, I know that we can turn this period of mourning into a celebration of the student’s life, and bring the whole school community together in the process.” 

Diaz, Julián’s cousin, recalls the little things that he and Julián did together, memories that he will cherish going forward.

“Every time I saw him, he was always making me laugh,” Diaz said. “He was somebody that I could talk to about anything. He would always come to my house to play and hang out.”

Julián is survived by his parents, John and Paola, and his friend and cousin Diaz. They wanted to share his story as a reminder to parents to spend as much time with their children and to take any symptoms their child experiences seriously. 

“When Julián’s mother went to go get the car, I stayed with my son inside,” Julián’s father said. “With his last effort, he grabbed my hand and said, ‘Dad, don’t let me go. Don’t let me go, dad. I want to be with you, don’t let me go. Don’t let me go.’ That image is still in my head.”

Through the pain and loss suffered at home, school, and beyond, Metea remains vigilant in its mission to support everyone through the loss of Julián.

“We continue to have the family in our thoughts,” Debruycker said. “We will continue to support them and our community through this devastating loss.”

Any students interested in donating to the fundraiser made by Julián’s family may visit the site here.