Luis Enrique Chica

Luis Enrique Chica, age 57, of Orlando, Florida passed away on Friday, November 23, 2018. He was the beloved husband of Cecilia Cardona. Luis was born on July 24, 1961 in Ecuador, son of the late Enrique Chica and Lucila Mero.

Our father, Luis Chica, was a beloved man—caring, charismatic, and never without the ability to get you to crack a smile. Survived by five children, eight grandchildren, and his wonderful wife, he truly left an impression on anyone he met. First and foremost, he was an amazing husband; just within 30 days of meeting our mother, he knew he wanted her hand in marriage, and would journey the 18-hour drive to New Jersey just to see her: a precursor of the devoted and ardent marriage they would go on to have for 30 years. As a father, he was second to none; always the one to offer his wise counsel and infuse his lighthearted, comical quips with the life lessons that he taught us. With the same level of compassion and affection that he conveyed to his children, he has forged strong, loving relationships with all of his grandchildren. From frequent displays of affection to surprise McDonald's excursions, it went without saying that he truly cherished his grandchildren, and that that wave of affection traveled both ways.

Our father has endured and prevailed in the face of illness time and time again with the support of his loving family and his own unparalleled resilience. Starting at the age of 18, Luis found himself battling a myriad of different diagnoses and debilitating conditions, but did not ever let them inhibit his optimism, perseverance, and outlook on life. One of the major challenges that he faced pertained to the function of his kidney; Luis was afflicted with a rare form of Chronic Kidney Disease. For over half a decade, he withstood the physically and mentally taxing process of dialysis on a day-to-day basis. On the 30th of October, Luis received a highly anticipated call from the transplant center: a kidney donor match had been found, and he must proceed with the operation immediately. With this news came widespread elation, and our family excitedly began to prepare for this new stage in Luis's life. Unfortunately, postoperative complications arose that served to stunt his long-but-hopeful recovery. What came next was an unexpected and heartbreaking turn of events that ultimately lead to the premature end of his life.

Luis is survived by his wife, Cecilia; three sons, Andy Chica, Kris Carrasco, and Derek Chica; two daughters, Erica Lossmann and Emily Chica; three sisters, Angela Bisoondial, Ester Ortega-Chica, and Isabel Bautista; and his eight grandchildren, Chloe Chica, Caleb Garcia, Noah Garcia, Luke Garcia, Kaitlyn Carrasco, Kris Carrasco, Jr., Grayson Lossmann, and Olivia Lossmann.

A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 11:00 am at Newcomer Funeral Home - East Orlando Chapel, 895 S. Goldenrod Rd, Orlando, FL 32822

Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, FL.

Visitation is Friday, November 30, 2018 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the family directly through - https://www.gofundme.com/luchito or directly towards his final expenses by contacting the funeral home.

To share your memories of Luis or leave a special condolence message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.