Obituary for Christopher Joseph Antonell The disease of addiction, in all its forms, and the underlying mental illnesses that feed its ferocious, never-ending appetite. It is a disease that most don’t understand. It is a disease that most cannot fully understand unless it strikes someone in your family.
Even then, it is something that is almost impossible to rationalize into an understanding. Rather, it is a disease that you must accept, live with, and deal with powerlessly while your loved one is slowly consumed. One day, there will be more hope for its victims, and possibly more love and understanding from society as a whole.
Our Christopher was a gift from God to our family. We truly believe we were chosen to receive Christopher, as God in his infinite wisdom knew we could handle the challenges that Christopher presented to us, even though we never thought we could. Christopher was the most loving, kind, well-spoken person anyone could want or hope for.
What he lacked in average skills, which most of us use in everyday life, he made up for with his intensity and passion for everything he did. Cooking became his ultimate passion and means of support. He knew about all the famous chefs: Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay, and his favorite Bobby Flay.
He emulated their styles, and felt he belonged in the somewhat fast paced, profane, and grueling world of the restaurant kitchen. Our Christopher has given us immeasurable joy and love during his short life on this earth. Despite the pain and suffering he felt every day of his own life, he taught us things we would never have known about otherwise: humility, acceptance of others, caring for those who are less fortunate, and demonstrating unconditional love, even when it brings pain and despair.
Those who have the disease of addiction, bi-polar disorder, and other mental illnesses are sick just like those with cancer, heart disease or any other serious illness. But, they are largely misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistreated. As a result of the storms brewing beneath the surface, Christopher never felt that he fit in nor was accepted in most social situations.
So, he created an identify for himself, a second skin that he could hide behind and adapt to. Every tattoo he etched into his skin screamed, “this is me: this is who I am, and I am somebody, even if I am not like you; I am a person too”. This was his pain, and it is ours.
Despite the dark times, there was an abundance of happy times and joy too. We relish the memories of every family moment we spent together. Those are the memories that we choose to remember.
When we think of Christopher, we will always hear him say, “I love you Pop, I love you mama, I love you sis”. Those four words erase every bit of pain, every bad episode, and any doubt that we could ever have on why Chris came into our lives. We love you Chris, as you were and as you are, and we will see you again.
Of that we are sure. Christopher Joseph Antonell, born and raised in Miami, FL, passed away at the age of 28 on May 1, 2018, in Delray, Florida. Friends and family are welcome to attend the memorial service, officiated by Father Manny Alvarez, on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 1:00 p.m., at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, at 7303 SW 64th Street, Miami FL 33143 Donations in Christopher’s name, in lieu of flowers, can be made to the TINA DAILEY FOUNDATION, at www.
thetinadaileyfoundation.org. If you prefer to mail a check, please mail them to 6800 SW 40th Street, Miami, FL 33155. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Christopher Joseph Antonell please visit our Sympathy Store.
Upcoming Events Memorial Mass 2018 MAY 8. 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church 7377 SW 64th Street Miami, FL, US, 33143 Order Flowers for the Memorial Mass Guaranteed delivery before Christopher Joseph’s Memorial Mass begins.
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