Pueblo suffered a loss over the weekend with the death of Michelle Duran, a Junior, in a traffic accident on I-19. The entire Pueblo Family extends our sincere condolences to all of Michelle’s family & friends.
Funeral Arrangements:
Thursday, March 4
5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Martinez Funeral Home
2580 S. 6th Ave.
Friday, March 5
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Martinez Funeral Home
Friday, March 5
11:30 a.m. (immediately after Services)
South Lawn Cemetery
5401 S. Park Ave.
If you would like to help the family monetarily for funeral arrangements, please contact Cristal at (520) 409-2056.
Michelle’s current teachers shared the following comments:
Just wanted to share that last Tuesday Michelle had just finished matting a self-portrait that she had created. She was very pleased with her work. The plan was for her to think about a title for her work over the weekend and that I would be displaying it in my classroom window today.
I had the pleasure and honor of knowing Michelle for the past 3 years. She will be deeply missed. – Lisa Aguilera (Art)
I’m going to miss you a lot in my 2nd period. God bless you. – Mike Barraza (Social Studies)
I met Michelle last spring when Ms. Wilson, her sophomore English teacher, recommended that Michelle take AP English Language her junior year. The vast majority of the students who take this course prepare for it by taking pre-AP English as sophomores. Michelle was in a regular English class last year; however, her teacher recognized in Michelle an intelligence and an ability to work hard—harder than most high school students are willing to work—and recommended Michelle for AP.
When I spoke with Michelle last spring, I explained what we would be studying and how this course would be different from other English courses she had taken in the past. I told her that she would be reading and writing college-level essays and that she would have homework most every night. I also told her that she could trust her English teacher’s judgment in recommending her because her teacher also taught that pre-AP class and so was aware of the knowledge and skills students need to be successful in AP English. I told her these things so that she could make the right decision—which she did.
Students who do not take pre-AP often struggle in AP English. This struggle is good because it prepares them for college. Some of these students find that the struggle is too much for them and they drop the course or fail. Michelle struggled, but she did not drop the course, nor did she fail. In fact, she was doing well. Hers was a story of success. She trusted her teacher’s judgment and her own talent and work ethic and character. She had the courage to challenge herself and the resolve to succeed in that challenge.
Michelle had talent as a writer. I also know she had talent as an artist. It is hard for me to accept—it is heartbreaking and so terribly unfair—that she won’t continue to develop those talents and other talents and interests and enjoy the full life she deserved.
I will never forget Michelle and will use her good example in my efforts to inspire other students to challenge themselves and to persist in their struggle to make the most of their lives. My heart goes out to the Duran family and to all who knew and loved Michelle. – Steve Reitz (English)
Michelle was one of my students last year, a sophomore in my 1st period English class. Even though she was one of many kids who worked hard and cared about how she did as a student, Michelle was one who stood out as having an incredible amount of potential. She was one of Pueblo’s success stories. I placed hope in Michelle, because to me she represented what all kids here at Pueblo are capable of accomplishing. Michelle inspired me and motivated me; losing her is heartbreaking.
Every time I saw Michelle, I asked her about her classes this year. I usually saw her leaving Mr. Reitz’s AP English class, the class I wanted so badly for her to be successful in, the class I knew she had been afraid to take. When she responded, she would always smile and give me a hug, and let me know that she was making it. She was hanging in there, improving, and beginning to experience some of the success I know she wanted. In Michelle, I felt validation, because she represented all the things I believed in as a teacher—that hard work makes success possible, that school is about learning more than grades, that when we believe in students we can help them believe in themselves.
When I first heard of Michelle’s death, I thought about how incredibly unfair life can be. Michelle had so many doors open to her—not because of chance or luck, but because of her own hard work and dedication. To see all those doors slammed shut is painful and difficult to accept, but all I can do is realize that I can use Michelle’s memory to remind me of the potential inside all my students. I am so sad that I won’t get to see her realize all the hope I placed in her, but Michelle has reminded me that it is because of kids like her that I do what I do. Even though she is gone, her memory can help remind me of that for many years to come. – Sarah Wilson (English)
Please leave your comments for Michelle’s family to read.
Pictures courtesy of the family.
hola michelle<3 ya casi van hacer 3 meses que no esta con nosotros:( que rapido se va el tiempo, todavia es muy duro para mi aceptar que no esta aqui pero se que estas en un lugar mejor con diosito<3 te extrano mucho michelle simpre ando pensando en ti:( y todavia lloro como una chamaca llorona, te quiero mucho michelle siempre vas estar en mi corazon y nunca voy a tener una mejor amiga como tu, ur a one of a kind friend:( i love u i missed u
tu eres hermosa wow me gustaas mucho
Michelle, Mi primitaaa
Tu no sabes lo tantooo quee te extranoo, Just thinkinq of you makes me cry. I still cant accept the fact that ur gonee!:( Siempree quee pasoo por tu casa me recuerdoo d ti, I miss beinq with you &’d lauqhing at the stupiest stuff andd how aileen told us that we have the random conversations ever!
ahh i hate when people say “it’s going to be alright” i hate that because nothings alright life isn’t the same with out I MISS YOU SO MUCH tenqoo muchas cosas quee platicarteee primaaa,:( ahh i miss you i really do, I Miss having you over at my house andd laughinq at how messy my room was our when u would tell me ” Yissel ur such a bitch hehe” ahh those where the good times, wow 3 meses quee pasaronn quee rapidoo se va el tiempoo.. If we couldd of only stop u from going to nogales u would of still havee been with us today. Ahh la aylin siempree que la miroo me recuerdaa de ti but nobody can replace you michelle eras nina rara uniqaa hehe ahh I wish i could see you one more timee andd hug u one moree time andd talk likee we usee to, Its all weird becausee we really never know how much were qoing to miss someone until there qonee… Haha i can still remeber when u told me “eww Yissel porquee andas con ese chamako parese rapist and his going to rapee u” haha como me isites reir. ihh cuandoo estabann tu ih el alvaroo en la casa and u quys were fightinq and i just tell u all random “do u want pancakes? ” i thu nomas te me quedas biendoo likee wtf? haha ahh I cant believe it that ur qonee i wish i could qo back in timee and make lifee how it used to be</3 whenn u were with us:( I Miss you Michelle 🙁 I Miss everything, I Miss texting with you, I Miss qoinq to church with you and qetting in trouble, I Miss having random conversations, I Miss it when u would say " tenqoo qanas de escuchar un corrido haha" I miss when we would say santa was our homiee ihh que nos creiamos cholas haha, Andd i mmiss u cuandoo u would run over a trash can haha.. Todaa la familiaa te extranaa michelle..
I could be stressing about a millions things but even when that im always thinking about u..
Te extranooo primaa, Ihh prontoo estaremoss todas juntas:(
ihh nuncaa t voi a olvidar.
Tu primaa Yissel
Hahaha tambienn me recuerdoo cuandoo t llevee ah nogales ihh en la quincee d la dajanee, haha ih cuandoo nos fuimoss a comprar los tostitos con verduraa ihh que tu dijistee esto no parese verduraa haha, ay michelle todos los chamakos nakos d noqales les gustastee, pues a quien no si eras, no wait ERES Hermosa..
TQM, Ihh te extranooo
i missed you michelle i wish i could bring u back home with ur family and friends:(
Michelle te extranamos mucho…pero sabemos k estas en un lugar mejor… Cuida muchooo a mi hijo desde Donde tu estes…Te kieromos mucho Y te extranamos mucho..::-gracias mija….
hola michelle<3 ya casi van hacer cinco meses que no estas con nosotras:( que rapido se va el timpo:( no mas quiero que sepas michelle que te extrano mucho michelle!!!!!!!! y todavia para mi es muy duro acceptar que ya no estas aqui pero se que estas en un lugar mejor<3con diosito<3 nunca voy a tener una mejor amiga como tu siempres estado ahi cuando necesitaba alguien con quien platicar tu y yo tenia muchas cosas en comun que eran cosas loca jaja todavia me acuerdo<3 cuidanos desde arriba michelle ok te quiero mucho y te extrano!!!
R.I.P
MICHELLE NEREYDA DURAN
hola michelle<3 ya casi van hacer 5 meses que no estas aqui conosotro pero se que estas en lugar mucho mejor con diosito<3 como me gustaria hablar y verte michelle tu era la unica que me entendias con mis problemas y siempre estabas en mi lado cuando necesitaba a alguien<3:( y yo igual yo estaba ahi cuando necesitaba con quien platicar ohh llora:( thats what best friend too iam always going to have your back no matter what! eso lo que me decias ami:( michelle yo no mas quiero que me perdones que ya no podia hablar contigo tenia muchas problemas que no te imaginas:( sabias una parte de ella, pero se iso mas grande mis problems. y me siento tan mal porque la joanna me dijo que perguntabas por mi. in the week before u passed away me dijo la joanna que pregunatastes por mi que querias hablar conmigo. perdoname michelle que no podia esta ahi!!<3 como me gustaria verte y darde un abrazo muy fuerte y perdite perdon,y decirte que eres una persona bella de adentro y afuera, tu fuistes unas de mi mejores amigas nunca en mi vida voy a tener una amiga como tu beacause ur a one of a kind<3 y perdoname michelle que no pude estar ahi<3:( please forgive me<3 te extrano michelle como me gustaria verte!! i love you my big booty judie#1
we miss you;(
prima te extrano mucho, agh ojala pudieras regrecar i still cant accept that your gone </3 i miss you so much, noo es justo qee el te aiga llevado . all the fam misses you, & i miss when you would go to the house . . .ILOVEYOU & i will always remember you beautiful <333
we missed you michelle:( i cant beilive that you been gone for 8 months already:( but we know that ur in a better place, we love you michelle and we missed you sooooo much:( i love you my big booty judie #1!
i still think about the fun you gave me an the times, no one can compare with you, you’ll live forever with me
i didnt really know you very well since i used to think u wer one of the mean popular girls in valencia ms. I once walked home with you from Pueblo and found you as a very smart and nice girl after all. I’m glad I got to know you…
life keeps on movin an seems ta be leavin me behind this is the only thing that keeps me sane, i no longer have friends i miss tucson but scared to go back i feel like if i would’ve never left you’d still be here i miss you
HOLA MIJA:( BUENO YA VAS A CUMPLIR UN ANO..KIERO K SEPAS K TODAVIA SE ME AS TAN DURO ASEPDARLO..CUIDAME MUCHO AL ALVARO DESDE DONDE TU ESTAS Y ASLO K RASONE..TU MAS K NADIE SABES COMO ES..CUIDAMELO MUCHO:( 🙁 WE MISS U:( AND LOVE U!!!VAS A ESTAR EN NUESTROS CORAZONES POR SIEMPRE!!!
its almost a year and the whole family still misses you;(
Since the moment they told me the bad news you’ve been on my mind one thing or another your there friend. Like I’m sure others can say there’s not a day that goes by that your not in my thoughts in a couple of days it will be an awful day for many of us. We will have to re-feel all those bad feelings for your lost once again. You were a beautiful person in and out I hope that you are watching over everyone from heaven love you and miss you always michelle (orejona 🙂 )
Happy 18 Birthday Michelle!!!<3 i miss you so much=( i wish i could bring you back home so you could celebrate your day with your family and friends<3 but i know ur gonna have a wonderful day up there. i love you, and i miss you<3
I miss you michelle:'(<3
I love you with all my heart, will always remember you, the day i lost you was one of the worst days of my life and i still try to make myself believe that your still here. No matter where I go and what I do you will always be in the mind and in my heart. I know your still watching over me and know i miss you. I love you now and forever Chamaka pelionera. I’ll see you later.
– Jesus Estrada
HOLA MIJA PUES YA VAN ASER DOS ANOS DE TU PARTIDA Y TODAVIA SE NOS ASE TAN DURO!!!:(TU FOTO SIGE DONDE MISMO AI LA VEMOS TODOS Y LOS ACORDAMOS DANTO DE TI!!!YA VI TU PLAKA K BONITA ESTA!!!BUENO CM SIEMPRE TE EN KARGO A MI HIJO YO SE K TU LO CUIDAS!!!OK WE LIVE YOU AND MISS U ALLWAYS!!!AND FOREVER IN UR HEARTS:)
Ugh it’s been foreven since you been gone Michelle. Everyday we’ll be missing you. <3
Hi cousin. Almost 2 years now. You don’t understand how much I miss being at school with you everyday. Seeing you at my house all the time, talking about our problems together, laughing, making jokes. You don’t understand how much I miss my bestfriend. there’s not a day that goes by that i don’t think of you. There’s no pain in the world that can compare to what i feel every time you cross my mind. I swear it hurts like if I was at the hospital hearing the news. I remember that day like a movie replaying Over and over and over in my head. If I could go back to tell you how much I love you, how much you mean to me. I wanna go back & just see you one last time. If I could start our lives all over again I swear I would cherish more the time I had with you that I lost. Things were so much easier when you were here, so much happier. Our family, our friends, everything changed when you left this earth. Like everyone says, you’re in a better place, a beautiful place. I miss you so much words can’t even explain. I love you with all my heart. I’m leaving this post with the hope that edventually.. I’ll see you again </3
Hola Michelle<3 I'm gonna go vsit you soon ok<3 I'm sorry that i haven't have time to go:( I been so busy with school, and another friend of mine passed away</3 It's been hard for me. Pero gracias a dios ya me estoy mejorando little by little. I'll see you soon ok para que podemos platicar mejor<3 I love you and miss you so much michelle!!! le mandas un beso y un abrazo muy grande al jose de mi parte ok<3 I love you both!
i feel stuck an lost life seems to be nothing but pain all i know is i miss you my friends my brother an bein happy life sucks i want to join you an my brother i cant do that to my mom until she’s gone i’ll have to suffer i dont belong here anymore
life is shit i miss you
3 years michelle</3:'( not a day has gone by that i don't think of you<3 I love you and miss you so much my big booty judy #1.
Rest in peace,
Michelle N. Duran
Happy 20th Birthday Michelle!<3 Ojala que te la pasastes muy bonito en tu dia a hora aya arriba con diosito y todos los angelitos<3 we love you and miss you so much! Yo se que algun dia nos vamos aver y platicar y bromiar like the old times<3 cuida nos a todas desde aya arriba<3
Hi Michelle! Sorry I haven’t visit you lately. I’ve been so busy with work, and school. So crazy that in 2 months its gonna be 6 years that you been gone. It breaks my heart that you’re not here with us, but I know you’re watching all of us up in heaven. Remember Michelle that I love you, and miss you alot dont never forget that. I’ll visit you soon so ok. Rip babygirl
I miss you
Still wish u were with us still loving & missing you