A celebration of the life of Aviana GiGi Canales, you will always be in our hearts.

[melanieherrera]

Gigi
6803 days, that is how long I’ve known my baby.
Even before Aviana was born…I knew she was going to make things hard..while I was pregnant she had this really terrible habit of jumping up and down on my pelvic bone…4 days late and feet first….but the day she arrived our lives changed. She became the center of it all…she started smiling within a month, rolling over at 3 months…and started talking pretty clearly at 6 months…and she never stopped. She liked the whole being carried so she refused to walk til she was almost a year and half…her first steps were to get to Jr, and from then on they were inseparable.
Everyone always asks how we got gigi from Aviana…as always she beat her own drum and when we would call her Aviana, she would shake her head and say between her gums….gigi gigi and that’s where her legacy began.
This isn’t going to be where we all only say the warm fuzzy things cuz if she wanted that she she should have behaved better. She was so hard headed, and soft hearted. The world wasn’t always so nice to her…school was a challenge cuz her book smarts weren’t at the top of the class, it was a constant struggle. When people were cruel, she cried…many nights we had to be creative in consoling her, but she still got up and tried again. 3 years in a row she was given the award certificate for perseverance. She didn’t forgive easily, even when she cared deeply. She held grudges and talked a lot of mess. She was hilarious…her sense of humor was unmatched. I will miss that.
Gigi did struggle mentally, set backs created major disconnections, negativity soaked in faster than positivity. She had heart…the one that was constantly getting broken in disappointment or in confusion. She would get so angry at herself for believing and then being let down. She never gave up though. She went through so many phases in life…that I took pride in over indulging from Disney princesses, frozen, oh my gawd the monster high phase was the most extreme…then it was animal prints…she refused to move in our home til her room was painted…I told her to pick a color she could live with for at least 10 years and she only made it thru 3 when she wanted to change it, I didn’t budge her room is still purple! I should have seen a career in Haír was coming because there’s not a time I can recall that her styles were repeated…every couple weeks…something new and something better than the last.
When she realized she messed up and couldn’t catch up in school she found an alternative, because she wanted to finish…and she did. That day she received her diploma, we walked out of there she gave me the biggest hug..and said thank you mom! I will always cherish that moment. It was just her and I, I said all this mushy stuff and for the first time ever she didn’t tell me to stop…she let me admire her and be proud.
When she decided to go to barber school, we were ecstatic…I bought all kinds of gadgets and hair tools…as with every phase I over indulged her, she asked me to stop but I told her that it was the indulging this time it was different I was investing in her future and this time there was a passion in her like I’ve never seen, she was grateful…I mention that because her preteen years she was an ungrateful little turd…but barber college and the joy she got from cutting hair brought her back to humanity…and I missed her. She started spending time with the boys, most of it was spent yelling at the to stay still and pick their head up! But….as with every client that sat in her chair, they got that chair side manner that made you wanna come back. After she passed I sat with Tim and he told me she was done…she made her hours. I received the post card telling her to register for her written….she was done. I am so proud of her! She did it. I hate she missed that moment…she worked so hard to get there. I am proud of her, I will always celebrate who she was to me. I will miss the little things. Waking up to a dirty kitchen cuz she cooked at 2am, getting mad cuz I tripped over her extension cords that I constantly asked to put away…and the hair on my garage floor? I don’t have many regrets …because she knew what limits I had with her and there weren’t very many…she pushed every single one. But we were good, she loved me and she told me…she still kissed me good night…she learned to say thank you for everything…and she was ready to take on the world.
I wish I wouldn’t have taken advantage of the time I had her…taken more care in some of my words…but I thought I had more time. She asked me what we were gonna do for her birthday this year and I told her we could go to Peter Piper pizza…she eye rolled me but i told her we had plenty of time…I was wrong.
I am gonna miss everything about her…the attitude, her sarcastic mouth, her inability to bring me her laundry, the way she would defend the kids when I was yelling, the way when I told her no and stuck to my guns and she would go to Eric behind my back, he almost always gave in or when I would say yes after a battle she would text me I love you Bookie. Everyone always asks me how do I manage all these kids…I never told her she was my secret weapon. I would miss how She would plot with Eric to get me out of the house and make me take a break…when I would call to check on the kids and I will never know how she got every single one bathed, and in bed on time…I couldn’t even do that on my best days. When it was her turn to get the kids from school and she would sneak them to McDonalds knowing she didn’t have permission to be driving around….she did in fact pass her driving test, Manuel took a whole day off of work drove her Uvalde and he made her drive back, just this week her license came in the mail.
18 years, 7 months and 17 days was not enough…I would give anything for 1 daymore. Only to say thank you for being the best daughter any mom could ask for, thank you for making all of us so proud. Thank you for teaching me so much….thank you making a mark on the world. Love your babies…remember her for who she truly was…she was real…she was the best friend…she was a secret keeper…she was the butt but most of all she was my gigi! Please keep her memory alive, don’t forget the memories sshe made

[pamelaphelan]

I saw your beautiful daughter’s story on Texas Pictures, so when I saw this service for her, I knew I had to watch. I wish I could have met her. I would have adopted her as my Honorary Granddaughter because she’s that cool 😎 I’m sending lots of prayers to you Mom for “the peace that passes all understanding” that your ❤️ may be comforted and your mind soothed. I’m a recovering opiate addict. I became addicted to pain pills after having many, many orthopedic problems & surgeries…lots of surgeries. I’m still using Suboxone daily and not ashamed. This Fentanyl poisoning has got to STOP!! Folks don’t know the danger 1 small pill can cause. It’s literally a KILLER. Much love & prayers from a Nana in California. 🙏💔😇😭 PS: she’s giving all the angels a laugh and giving them “what for”. 😂

[mateotheone]

Sorry I couldn't be there for GiGi. I am here distant uncle and although I never knew her personally but I know she was a good soul and may she rest in paradise. She's a beautiful soul loved by her community.

[sharettachatman]

GiGi was such a sweetheart and I am praying for her family.

[raultorres]

May she Rip my condolences to the family

[sharondelissa]

I am so sorry for your loss. Sending prayers and condolences to the family and may God give you all peace. RIP GIGI ❤️🕊️🕊️🕊️