Carissa Marie Navarro

We were all blessed with the birth of Carissa Marie Navarro “Rissa” on September 15th 1989. She came into this world and technically died directly after birth and raised again along with the 7.1 Los Prieta earthquake. One heck of an entrance!  From the day she came into this world she was a fighter. Rissa was resilient and gave our family hope as she successfully conquered anything she faced . She survived a countless number of surgeries and medical procedures all while bringing joy to our family. Carissa made all of us step up and become better people. She touched so many lives. Everyone around her seen and felt her infectious smile.

Carissa has been in a wheel chair her whole life, and never failed to get around. Rissa played softball and was the proud recipient of a certificate of completion from Liberty High School in Brentwood CA. Rissa, since had been an active participant in The Garden of life program in Antioch CA, which she was blessed to have loving and caring teachers to guide her and teach her. As well as several AMAZING care givers whom loved and cared for her at home.

Carissa was never one to hold her feelings back. She would always let you know just how she felt. If she was happy with you she would grab on you and hold on with dear life as you walked by her. If she was not happy with you she would swing and you better move fast! She was as strong as they come! If you made her happy she would give you the biggest smile and if you didn’t make her happy she would make the L sign to call you a LOOSER!

Rissa grew up the oldest and toughest of 4. To include her 3 loving brothers and a ton of cousins she ran over constantly in her walker as a child. They still have the marks to prove it!

She will FOREVER BE HONORED by all her family and everyone she knew, but especially her amazing loving Father Ben Navarro and her 4 brothers Angel, Raymond, Jose Irizarry, and Justino Navarro who all cared for her daily for the past 30 years.