Juan Gabriel Diaz

KISSIMMEE, FL – After a hard-fought battle with colon cancer, Juan Gabriel Diaz Santiago passed away on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, in his home in Kissimmee, at 48. Juan Gabriel Diaz is survived by his wife, Madelyn Mercado; his daughter, Paola N. Diaz; and his three stepchildren, Coralys Peña, Allan Peña, and Carolyn Peña. Juan Gabriel was born on July 3, 1974, in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, to his father, Juan Diaz Rivera, who predeceased him, and his mother, Maria T. Santiago Bermudez. He grew up in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, in a loving family with his two sisters and surrounded by many cousins, uncles, and aunties. Juan Gabriel Diaz attended Pedro Falu Orellano High School in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. He discovered his passion for cars when he was just a teenager. In his early twenties, he moved to Florida, where he worked in the auto parts industry for over twenty years. On October 25th, 2014, Juan Gabriel married Madelyn in Puerto Rico, and together they settled in Kissimmee, FL, where they raised their children. He worked at Advance Auto Parts for six years. While working there, many of Gabriel’s friends, family, co-workers, and clients saw him fiercely fight colon cancer since his first diagnosis in 2016. He remained optimistic throughout the years, and with a renewed faith in God, he was baptized this past May by Pastors Tommy Soto and Eddie Carrasquillo from the World’s Mission Church. In addition to his wife and children, Juan Gabriel Diaz Santiago is survived by his mother, Maria T. Santiago Bermudez, his sisters, Melissa Diaz Santiago and Carolina Diaz Santiago, his brother-in-law, Hector V. Cruz, his niece, Karina Isabelle Cruz, and his nephew, Hector Andres Cruz, and other family and friends that loved him dearly. The Memorial Service will be held at 5:00 PM on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at Porta Coeli Funeral Home located at 2801 East Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, FL. The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at Advent Health Hospital and VITAS Healthcare Hospice for their attentive care and treatment. Should friends desire, donations may be sent to the family for funeral expenses through their GoFundMe account at https://gofund.me/6896b461

Juan Gabriel Diaz

July 3, 1974 - September 13, 2022