Christian Jonathan Noriega

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved son Christian Jonathan Noriega. 

Christian was born on May 29, 2002, in Anaheim, CA, and on July 5, 2023, he departed this earthly life and went home to be with Jesus Christ. 

Christian is fondly remembered for his witty sense of humor, and free spirit. He was charismatic and wild at heart. Born to entertain, always the jokester and making everyone laugh. He had an animated way of telling stories with his funny facial expressions, especially when he was excited about experiencing new things. Christian filled our home with his infectious boisterous laughter and gregarious personality. His big beautiful smile could brighten up any room. He also had this smirk that was almost magical, that would lighten the mood and bring a smile to your face, even if you were trying not to smile. He was the life of the party with his playful nature, his energy was unmatched, and so much fun to be around. And he knew it too... whenever he would come home after being away for the day he would say to us, "It was so quiet and boring without me here huh?!" And then top it off with his devilish grin and cackle. Oh how he loved to tease us, that was his trademark. But what made Christian truly so special was that he wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn't afraid to express his emotions and share his feelings. He has such a sentimental, caring, and sensitive soul. It was a side of him that made him so endearing. His warm hugs and hearing him say "I love you" are what we will miss most. Many of his friends have said that they have never met anyone else like Christian and how good he made them feel. Stories of how he befriended them when they felt alone and of how he lifted up their spirits in their time of need. Neighbors have told us how much they will miss seeing his smile as he waved at them. He left a lasting impression on the hearts of everyone who knew him. He is one of a kind, our special treasure, and we are all so lucky to have felt his love. 

Christian held a special place as the middle child among three brothers. With 10 and 7 year gaps between them, you would never know it. Inseparable from the day Leland was born, Christian took so much pride in being a big brother to him, his best friend and protector. Never too old to play games with him, shoot Nerf guns, chase around the house, shoot hoops, or just snuggle together. Christian was so proud to have Matthew as his older brother to look up to. He wanted to emulate Matthew because he admired and respected him so much. They shared a love as adventurous eaters, especially super spicy food, anime, and of course their sarcastic humor they used to tease their Mom every chance they got. Their brotherly bond remains unwavering, a source of love and strength that will withstand the tests of distance and time.

Christian had a very special relationship with his Ong (grandpa). From the day he was born, Christian was his baby as much as he was ours. You could always catch them horsing around the house together, they were two peas in a pod. Ong enjoyed driving him to and from school all those years and always stopping for snacks along the way. Ong loved to cook for him, tell Christian stories of his life experiences, give him advice, laugh, and of course, eat together. And in recent months they spent their Sundays attending church together. Christian loved his Ong fiercely and would do anything for him. 

Christian was very smart and earned various awards in school. Held many years on the honor roll and his natural gift of gab landed him on the debate team. His teachers labeled him as a "chatterbox" and he enjoyed making his classmates laugh, which is something he never grew out of and became what we all love about him most. Always the social butterfly, outgoing, striking up conversations and friendships anywhere he went. His analytical mind was always curious and asking questions. He was always searching for the deeper meaning of things and about life. We will all miss those insightful conversations we had with him. 

Christian was a huge animal lover. As a child, he always said he would love to become a marine biologist. He grew up with his buddy Shadow by his side for 10 years. He spent time walking, feeding, and bathing him and loved reading a book with him curled up in bed. We know they are so happy in heaven together now. After Shadow passed, he so badly wanted another pet. We would often catch him feeding and petting the neighborhood stray cats and dogs begging to bring them home. 

Christian loved kids and they were always drawn to him. We know the reason was because he himself was a kid at heart. He was silly and always eager to have fun.  He also loved his elders. He enjoyed listening to old stories and the wisdom and advice they provided. Christian had so much to offer this world and we know that he would have one day become a loving wonderful husband and father. 

Starting at a young age, Christian showed an interest in athletics. He wanted to follow in his big brother's footsteps and at just 4 years old he became the youngest Taekwondo student at the academy. He wowed the Master so much with his impressive high kick that he became the face of their business cards. Through the years, he tried out many different sports but at 11 years old Christian fell in love with playing basketball. He was very competitive and driven. Always watching game highlights and practicing. He played in several leagues throughout junior high and high school. It became a passion that both he and his dad shared over the years. Bonding over basketball games and playing on the court together. 

When Christian wasn't playing basketball, he also liked playing volleyball, reading (The Alchemist was one of his favorites), listening to music, singing out loud, eating his favorite snacks hot Cheetos and Tina burritos smothered in Tapatio, playing video games, collecting sneakers, and hanging out with friends. Christian really valued spending time together as a family. He was always excited to celebrate holidays and birthdays, visit relatives, or even just to cuddle up on the couch together bingeing TV series and watching movies (sad movies in particular were a favorite for him and his Mom to watch together). Our loud, competitive game nights were a staple in our family in which Christian and his mom could often be heard from outside the house, screaming and laughing like hyenas together. Christian was a big foodie and he loved to eat... all the time. He was never one to shy away from trying new foods. Going out to restaurants and cooking at home together was something we did often as a family. He loved all of our camping and cabin trips, especially when he got to spend time with his cousins. Out of all of our family vacations, he told us Hawaii was his favorite. So many beautiful memories we all shared with him. We had such a close family bond and his departure leaves an irreplaceable void in our broken hearts. 

Christian is survived by his parents, Jonathan and Mary, his siblings, Matthew and Leland, and his doting Ong, Trong Le. He is also survived by his great grandma "Old Ba" Nhan Vu, grandparents Felix and Pamela Noriega, uncles, aunts, and cousins. He was very lucky to have a large extended family who loved him dearly. 

Christian was preceded in death by his great grandpa "Old Ongie" Thong Van Le. 

During his short 21 years of life, Christian was a bright light in this world. We believe this was God's purpose for him. He filled our lives with laughter, excitement, mischief, and happiness. And we know that he has a loving Savior who is certainly enjoying his joyful spirit up in heaven.  We ask that you please keep Christian's memory alive by speaking of him often, sing and play his favorite songs, eat his favorite foods, and retell all of the funny stories and wonderful memories you shared with him. 

In God's loving arms, may you rest in eternal peace. Until we meet again our darling boy, we will love you forever. 

"People you love never die...not completely. They live in your mind, the way they always lived inside you. You keep their light alive. If you remember them well enough, they can still guide you, like the shine of long-extinguished stars could guide ships in unfamiliar waters." ~Matt Haig