Omar Perez was a much loved New York City bike messenger. He was one
of the X-men fearlessly riding in hockey and other protective
equipment, often skitching on cars, trucks and buses. He faced
medical challenges including sever arthritis. "Cycling was a way
Omar would challenge himself and was his way of overcoming the
debilitating arthritis that had plagued him since his youth. Omar
was fearless on his bike, riding on the frantic streets of NYC like
an urban cowboy. He took his own life on January 13, 2022.
Never taking anything for granted, this life is short. Depression is
real! In America they tell you to shut up and deal, @omxrperez I
cried about you all day, and it hit me hard because you texted me on
your last day. It’s always the ones suffering the most that have the
brightest smile. You can’t suffer no more king. RIP - Gabriel
Frilando (aka CheatDeathNYC)
This week we sadly lost a wonderful human being named Omar Perez.
These are some memories from from a 2019 shoot. It deeply saddens me
how a man so positive and inspiring to those around him, including
myself, was personally going through such pain. He made people feel
significant and that they mattered. If only he could have shared in
the positivity that he spread. RIP, Omar. - Matt Sezer
RIP, you were so humble and wholesome to the Philly messengers –
Jaron
Heaven gained the coolest kid ever to grace the gates - Victoria
Maeve
Ride in Paradise my brother until we meet again. Love you always kid
- Stvks.shmoney
Happy Fucking Birthday. I Fuxkin Miss You So Much Miss Hearing Your
Laugh Your Hugs Modelo Time…It’s Raining Today But Doesn’t mean It’s
Not A Beautiful Day Because Everyone Is Spreading Memories Of You
And Talking About You Celebrating For You Happy Birthday @omrxperez
We Fucking Love You Miss You And Cherish Every Moment We Spent With
You – Michael Gonzalez
Was a blessing to meet him and share the memories we all had with
him love all of you guys - Steve Hennessey
NOOOOO BRO WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS HAPPENING BRO WHAT A BREATHTAKING
HUMAN BEING SWEAR TO GOD I WILL FOREVER KEEP YOU IN MY THOUGHTS WILL
FOREVER KEEP YOU IN MY HEART, God this hurts so fucking much –
Ddisorientedhumann
Rest in power my friend! We lost an amazing person and a beautiful
soul. Stay strong and never forget to show some love to your belived
ones every time you can – Mateo Cabrera
He always put smiles on our faces…I wanna keep that even wanting to
cry…forever in our hearts! Rest In Peace – Leonardo Haruki
Rest in peace. Thank you for all of the laughs, good times and
memories. You will be missed but never forgotten. rest easy man -
kiki
I love you O. I'm so sorry you were hurting man but you're not
hurting anymore brother. This one is really killing me Omar. Sleep
in peace my brother. till we meet again - Iran Cedeno
Omar was one of a kind. His spirit was unmatched and he was never
afraid to speak his mind. That I will always admire about him. Since
we were young we had the best adventures one could imagine. And
what’s beautiful about it, is that you were the man behind the lens
capturing all of these timeless Moments. I wanna Thank you again for
all the memories you gave to not only me but to the many other
life’s you’ve impacted. Thank you for everything.(973SD for life)
-Stephan Letren
Omar, your presence in this life was always such a comfort to me.
Regardless of the distance between us, we loved and cared for each
other fiercely. Hours long FaceTime calls throughout and after our
relationship… You helped me find my voice, find my confidence. God,
you were truly one of a kind. You loved and cared so deeply. But, I
know you suffered just as deeply. I am so sorry that it came to
this. I am so sorry that we have not held a long, meaningful
conversation since the middle of the summer. I wish we had even just
one more. But then, I would probably wish we had just even another.
There were hours worth of FaceTime calls left to have. You
took a piece of my heart with you. But I know, just as well, I have
a piece of your heart with me at all times. With the strength of
your love and friendship, I push forward. I mean, I have to make
sure I have plenty of stories to share for when we meet again… There
is no one else like you in this lifetime, Omar. You were a wild
soul, much bigger than life and it’s physical bounds. I hope that
wherever you are, you have one good pair of beat up Converse,
endless Corona & Cokes, and a bike that will never break down on
you. I will always love you. X-MEN FOREVER - Angelica Pozzoli
Omar, I have stared at this blank text box for so long writing and
rewriting this. There just aren’t words big enough to really capture
what you meant to me and everyone else who had the honor of calling
you a friend. You were the loudest laugh and widest smile in every
room, instantly making everyone feel at home. You were a shoulder to
lean on and you never failed to let us know that you were there when
we needed you. I hope you knew that the same applied to you. The
love you spread was reciprocated and wherever you may be I hope you
know that we still do and always will love you back. I don’t know
what else to say besides thank you. Thank you for being a friend,
for being that glue that held the rest of us together. Thank you for
the constant reminders then and even now that there is fun to be had
and memories to be made and to hold onto each other as tight as you
held on to us. I miss you always, til we meet again - Camila
Omar, I feel so blessed to have had you in my life. It’s hard to
find the right words to describe the impact you’ve made on myself
& everyone around you, but it was really something special. You
lit up every room you walked into with laughter and happiness, but
you were also a truly genuine friend to me and so many others. I can
only hope you felt the love we have for you as deeply as you gave it
to us. You gave me a photo of us and a note during a hard time. You
said that you and our friends would be with me no matter where we
are in life. I hope you know how much that meant to me, and how true
that is now. You will have our hearts forever, no matter where we
are. I am so thankful for the time we spent together and the
endless memories I have of you. I think of our time together as a
gift, something I will hold with me for the rest of my life. You
live on through myself, your friends, your family, and every single
life you’ve touched. You will never ever be forgotten. Thank you.
I’ll miss and love you forever - Paige Trezza
I came to know Omar through my son William. Omar and he became fast
friends in middle school and only became closer over time! Omar was
that rare teen that was always happy to say "hello" and "good-bye"
when ever he was at the house. Omar shared his "973-SD" videos with
me, laughing at some questionable choices and modestly giving credit
to others in the videos. Omar was thoughtful enough to bring me a
pizza for lunch when he came by picking up some things for William.
He always had a smile and an easy laugh, but he was also serious and
able to talk about social issues. Omar & William grew up
together; debating the merits of 'Black Mesa' vs. 'Portal', taking
and sometimes cutting computer classes, working at 'Zumies',
learning to drive, the prom, going to Washington DC to protest
social injustice as well as enjoying NYC together on occasion. They
weren't always perfect but I knew William was with someone that
would always have his back ( and vice versa). I will miss Omar's
laughter coming from the patio on a warm night, or a yell of
excitement coming from the garage on colder "Covid" nights as well
as his mischievous smile and head nod that let me know I was only
privy to the tip of the iceberg. Omar was stronger than I ever knew.
Omar will be in my heart forever! - Beth Smillie Spaulding
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be
Kind.” Robin Williams. Omar was a light for us in the dark. He
showed us what we could be by living his life 100 percent
authentically. He lived each day like a man on a mission to extract
from life every bit of joy, passion, and love. Carpe Diem. He seized
every day that he was able to. His spirit was pure and those of us
that were touched by his kindness will never be the same again. I am
grateful that I was able to spend time with him and share laughter
and delicious food. His smile and laugh are more than a memory; they
have been etched on my heart. For those of us left behind, we feel
the gaping wound of his absence. It would be easy to allow ourselves
to fall into that abyss. But we cannot because Omar has now given
his light to us. We must continue to shine in this world where there
is too much darkness, pain and sorrow. Omar - Thank you for letting
us have you for so long. I love you. - Crystal
Omar’s Obituary:
Omar Edward Perez,23
West Orange Township, New Jersey
April 3, 1998 - January 13, 2022
Our Beloved Omar departed this life on January 13, 2022. If you knew
Omar, you would not necessarily be aware of his medical challenges,
but you definitely would remember his warm nature and lust for life
that will remain in the hearts of everyone whose lives he touched.
Omar was born at St Barnabas hospital in Livingston, NJ and was
raised in West Orange, NJ.
Omar was only 23 years old, but packed several lifetimes worth of
adventures in his short time on this Earth. He was very aware of the
world around him and sensitive to the less fortunate and social
injustices. He was often in NYC and also lived there for a short
while and he frequently went out of his way to have a conversation
with homeless people...buy them food and collect coats to keep them
warm. Omar had a big heart for his family, friends and even
strangers.
In this politically and socially divided world, Omar often was one
to try to get people to see the perspective of others. He would try
to get people to talk and listen to opposing points of views.
During Omar's short life, he showed great joy for life and all it
had to offer. He loved music and loved to be active. Prior to
Omar's medical afflictions, while in elementary school, his first
passion was skateboarding, which he enjoyed with his "973-SD
Crew". When Omar was 10 years old he had to be homeschooled
because of his severe arthritis, which made it difficult for him to
walk. During this time, Omar taught himself how to play the piano,
which he later pursued and enjoyed. His later years were often
filled with attempts to make up for his lost mobility via his
hobbies and relationships. Omar loved to be with friends and family
and he was often the life of the party. Omar attended college
at NYIT in NYC and he enjoyed creating videos and using photography
to tell stories that were important to him.
Omar had a passion for biking. Cycling was a way Omar would
challenge himself and was his way of overcoming the debilitating
arthritis that had plagued him since his youth. Omar was fearless on
his bike, riding on the frantic streets of NYC like an urban
cowboy. Omar is survived by his Brother, Emanuel, his Mother,
Gloria and Father, Ralph and so many other family and friends who he
loved, and who loved him in return. There are far too many to list
here, who all loved him and will miss him greatly.
In lieu of flowers we ask that donations or charitable acts be done
with Omar in mind, particularly toward the homeless and the
underprivileged. One of many organizations to make a contribution is
the Community Food Bank of NJ. https://cfbnj.org/
If you have not already done so...it would mean the world to us if
you write a tribute to Omar on this site. Thank you.
All are invited to celebrate Omar's life from 3-6pm on Saturday,
March 19, 2022, at Dangler Funeral Home - 340 Main Street West
Orange, NJ.
