Lawrance Steve Garcia
Lawrance Steven Garcia, 14, who advised sick children to "just stay strong," died of pneumonia after a lifelong battle with cancer and other ailments. The former Chino Hills resident, affectionately known as "Boo," died April 6, 2009, at Ventura County Medical Center Hospital.

"It was a peaceful passing," said his father, Lawrance Garcia. "He suffered enough."

Lawrance fought cancer and related illnesses since he was 3 years old, when doctors removed a lymphoma tumor from his cheek. Wound care was required on his face because his lack of white blood cells prevented his cheek from closing. Last year, he battled a tumor that grew between his eye socket and his brain.

"He beat the cancer," said his dad. "But he had an immune deficiency and couldn't fight the pneumonia." Lawrance had Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, an immune deficiency, and a pulmonary condition.

When he wasn't fighting back illness, Lawrance enjoyed arcades, remote control cars, video games, and Bionicles, a building toy. He was also granted several wishes, such as meeting professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek at the ESPN Zone sports restaurant just outside Disneyland. "He got 99.9 percent of his wishes granted," said his dad. "We're grateful he was given to us for as long as he was."

The Garcia family lived in the parsonage of the Chino Hills Christian Fellowship Church on Avery Street in the Los Serranos area for 18 months before they moved to Oxnard in February. Mr. Garcia supervised a construction crew at a recovery home affiliated with the Foursquare Church. He now is pastor of a church in Oxnard.

Mr. Garcia, and his wife Margaret, said they are grateful for the help they received in Chino Hills from Caring for the Hills and The Let it Be Foundation. "They blessed us so much," Mr. Garcia said.

Lawrance was born Sept. 7, 1994, in Bakersfield. He is survived by his parents, Lawrance and Margaret Garcia of Oxnard; his brother Henry of Baldwin Park; his sisters, Miya Garcia and Marissa Garcia of Oxnard; his grandparents Vincent and Cecelia Cruz of Baldwin Park; godparents; aunts, uncles and cousins.

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