Dereld Balesteri

On the ninth day of January, in the year 1993; in the city of Monterey, California; at Community Hospital of Monterey, the Lord brought into this world Dereld Balesteri. Dereld was a happy child and at the age of three, he was diagnosed with autism. This diagnosis was not enough to keep a precious smile from his face. His disability did not limit him from being a social butterfly. His communication skills consisted of pointing, touching and his trusty calendar, which laid out his schedule for the month. He also had a special gift of communicating through his DVD movies.  He was a very active and outgoing individual. His mother, Katrina Balesteri, kept him on the move at all times. He participated in every event in the Special Olympics and the Bubble Run, where he received trophies, ribbons, gold, silver and bronze medals. He was an also an avid swimmer who loved the pool.  When he wasn't winning awards, Dereld enjoyed fireworks, Christmas, Halloween, Independence Day, his birthday, bowling and movies. He would often put his brain to the test by working on 500-piece puzzles and watching such brain teasing shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. He always enjoyed amusement parks, especially Disneyland; and his favorite food will forever be pepperoni pizza.  His smile and unconditional love for others will truly be missed. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Salvatore and Lilian Balesteri. He is survived by his loving mother, Katrina Balesteri. His aunts, Maiaika Velasquez, Barbara Graham and Rebecca Jacobs. His uncles Shawn Bean and Michael "Glasses" Ward. His loving and close family friends, Mona, Sherry and Vince. Rest well young King.