January 27, 2025

Remembering Gus Estrella

The funeral service for Gus Estrella will be streamed on Friday, January 31, 2025 on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/St.MonicaParishOficial?ref=embed_page

Gus Estrella		Gabe Gibbons with Gus Estrella

Gus,

In some movies they talk about people who are part of a special circle
because they shook Frank Sinatra’s hand. We are the modern day version
of that, because each of us knew Gus. He touched all of our lives and we
are part of that special circle because of him.

When I met Gus he had already graduated high school, went straight on to
college, graduated with a bachelors degree in writing, got a job, became
an advocate in Washington, D.C. for United Cerebal Palsy, got married,
had a major life changing surgery, moved back to Tucson, and bought a
house. You would think that was enough and he would just coast.

Carole Wymer introduced me to Gus because he needed an assistant at the
CSUN conference in California and he and Laura Jane interviewed me and
helped me understand that if I was to be his assistant I would need to
respect his decisions, like what beverage he chose to drink when taking
his meds.

When I met Gus I had barely graduated college, needed a job, and somehow
ended up in a severe/multiple disability classroom at Catalina High
School. I had never worked in that world before, nor met or really got
to know anyone with any type of disability. So here go Gus and I,
meeting at the airport in Tucson, to get on a flight to Los Angeles,
which meant taking apart his wheelchair, watching the staff try to lift
a 200lb wheelchair, getting on the flight together, getting off the
flight together, of course turning off his voice at takeoff and landing
because it might “mess with the flight instruments”, and then making our
way to a conference, with Yukon in tow.

It was awesome. Like absolutely changed my world. Gus was a rockstar
already, everyone knew him, and we met so many amazing people together
and came back cracking up together at all of our stories and
experiences. He immediately became a very close friend and I loved every
moment of getting to spend time with Gus. I still remember that first
trip we went to a fancy Italian restaurant one night, Gus ordered the
Shrimp Fra Diablo, and I commented how the place was very nice, but kind
of romantic. Gus then batted his eyes at me and we both cracked up.

Since that trip I got to go with Gus to places all of Tucson and
Arizona, be part of the Yo Si Puedo AAC camp with Sharon where I really
don’t know if we did more to help or not with all of our antics, but we
showed the students what could be possible and accomplished, wheelchair
or communication device or not.

I moved to Michigan, fresh with inspiration from Gus and taught people
all over the state what Gus had taught me, and how people can accomplish
so much no matter what level they are starting at. So one time I am at
the top of Michigan in Traverse City with Chris Klein, another AAC
legend, and we were doing a presentation together, where Chris was
demonstrating his own high level of skills and speaking abilities. At
the end Chris is talking to a sales rep for another company, and the
person says really slowly and really loud, “I saw a boat. It was a tall
boat. Do you want to go see the boat?”. I had no idea what was happening
and it took me until the evening to fully grasp how horrible that was.
Of course I immediately told Gus about this, and he just shook his head,
because that’s how people are sometimes.

Gus and I got together with Chris at a following conference and the very
first thing Gus does is slow down his voice and turn the volume way up.
I think that was the same conference when all of us, AAC users and
friends, hung out at the bar in the hotel, everyone near a power outlet
because their AAC devices were super low on power from the long days.

Gus, you had a natural way to help people, and would usually forgive
those who didn’t understand how to communicate with a fellow person,
disabled or not. Your speeches were legendary, you presented in Alaska,
Australia, Spain, for International Conferences, for local conferences,
and for schools. You have friends here today in person, virtually, and
in spirit from literally all over the world, because you touched all of
our lives. When we came back to live in Tucson Amrit, our oldest, was 3
months old, and immediately we came over to see you. You held Amrit and
held Avi years later too, including attending Avi’s bris at our house.
Having my children get to meet you and know you was so incredibly
important to me, because you changed my entire life. You, me and Rakhi,
my wife, traveled together in Spain after a conference and we all had a
blast, and of course ate so very well, because you could and have sat at
a buffet with me at a casino for 3 hours just happily eating.

Gus, thank you for touching all of our lives and for making the world a
better and brighter place. You used humor and insight to lighten any
challenge, and literally nothing except some badly placed stairs would
stop you. You ripped out the power cord on your chair in Toronto, so we
happily ran up and down the streets and hills there that night to go get
dinner and were cracking up together the whole way. Pretty sure the
people in Spain thought we were insane when we went running together
down a pedestrian path through the middle of the city.

You are deeply missed, but your light will continue to brighten all of
our lives always, because each of us knew the legendary Gus Estrella. I
know you are with your dad, with Boz and Yukon, with Bruce Baker, with
Brett, and all of our friends and loved ones who have passed away. Thank
you for everything Gus and hopefully we told you this already, but we
all love you.

Gabe