Joshua Christopher Ruelas

Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Joshua Christopher Ruelas, 24, was born on September 7, 1998 inDaly City, CA. For the majority of his life, he lived in Antioch, CA. After battling an aggressive bone cancer called osteosarcoma for a year and two months, Joshua was laid to rest on January 3, 2023.
Born in South San Francisco, CA, Joshua moved to Antioch when he was 2 years old with his mother, Jean, father, Alfredo, and sister, Ashley. Josh reached many incredible milestones and had amazing friends from middle school, highschool and even throughout his college years. From an early age becoming a Boy Scout, to playing on the basketball team in elementary, junior, and part of high school, Josh was always highly driven to achieve. While his amazing friendships carried throughout the years, there was nothing stronger than the love he shared with his girlfriend, Hailee. Both of them attended Dozier-Libbey Medical High school where they began to follow their passion in the medical field. Hailee became a registered nurse andJoshua pursued his dream to become a physical therapist. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Kinesiology from San Francisco State University in 2020, and also worked at his first place of employment at Home Depot.
Once he graduated, he began working as a Physical Therapy Aide in sports medicine clinics within the Bay Area. In college, Joshua was a part of a Filipino American student organization called Philippine American Collegiate Endeavor (PACE). He made an incredible impact on those he met and inspired others to go after their dreams just as he did. Before he became ill, Joshua's favorite pastime was playing basketball and his Playstation 5 with his close friends. His inspiration for the sport came from Kobe Bryant, his favorite basketball player. The "Mamba Mentality" he coined truly embodies the mantra that kept Josh in a constant quest to be the best version of himself.
Joshua was kind, considerate, hardworking, and smart. His Mom, Dad, Ashley, and extended family showed him a path to be strong, compassionate, studious, and loving. Joshua was an incredible son, brother, cousin, grandson, and boyfriend. His life hasinspired us all, and he is our true HERO. May God rest his mind, body, and spirit in everlasting peace and serenity.