My eldest son, Manuel Luna, was born on September 18, 1961 in Corozal. On February 16, 2022, at 6 o’clock in the morning, he passed away, and on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. he was laid to rest at the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Corozal, Belize, C.A. The following eulogy was written by Manuel’s cousin, Karina Arnold, and was read by his sister, Teresita Gotoy.
Manuel Carlos “Luna” Acosta, aka “Moon” to his close friends and family, was born on September 18, 1961, to parents Eloisa Acosta and Clinton Luna. Manuel is the only boy of five siblings. He, along with his sisters Bernadette, Teresita, Sharon, Michelle and their cousins Barbara, Celine and Karl, was raised by their mom and grandmother Dylis Acosta in their home in Altamira, Corozal. He had a host of nieces and nephews. As a child, he attended Saint Francis Xavier Primary School. Manuel was a free spirit from a young age; he loved to live life on the edge. His sister Bernadette recalls he would skip school or “bang hookie” to go to the sea wharf to idle because he didn’t care much for school. He would tie his shoelaces together and hang them around his neck to avoid getting them wet so his grandma and mom would not know he went in the sea. It was from such a young age that he had a calling for the sea.
He dropped out of primary school; he didn’t want to continue studying. He was always a hard worker. From the young age of 12 he started working in the cane fields, cutting cane to help his mom and grandma put food on the table for the family. Manuel moved on to becoming a fisherman in his later teens, which he remained for the most part of his life. He moved to Belize City, where he spent years of his younger life fishing, Manuel was a man of the sea. He loved the water and he loved fishing. He was great at it. During this time he would hang out with his friends, drinking their Belikins while going bar hopping in the city. After some years, he moved back home to Corozal, where he lived with his mom and 2 cousins, Karina and Shanika. He helped his mom raise them like his own 2 children.
While Manuel never had kids of his own, he was known as the father of the family. He played a father role to many of his nieces and nephews, those with and without fathers. He was loved the same as he loved. He was a man of many personalities. Each family member can recall or share their own experience of who he was. I am sure each of us will cherish those memories. His nieces always recall the nicknames he gave them. Tracey recalls him giving her the nickname “Stressy”; he always reminded her how she laughed like a “turkey” and that she was “stressy” to him. Mindy was “Toushka”, Ingrid was “Ringting”. Alesha was “Dubzi”, Samantha “Sam”, and Loanna was “lowi”. Her sister Michelle, or “Cheena” as he would call her, and her kids Jazmine, Chantel, and Chelsea, said Manuel would never forget to visit them when he came in from the sea. He always brought seafood for them.
The boys, Alec, Gerald, Adrian, Shamil, and Dan, looked up to him growing up, as he taught them many firsts. Shahied, Elderain and Latrell all loved their uncle. On a trip back home, Manuel and Shahied developed a close relationship. Even though he only knew Elderain over the phone, the love they shared for each other was no different. Latrell got to know him over the last couple years. He sat with Manuel and told him how much he loved him and how much it would hurt him to lose him. Little did we all know that time would be so close. He was their uncle, but also their role model. To his brothers-in-law Jesse, Glen and Orlando, he was not only a friend but their brother. He welcomed them into the family and shared a special bond with each. To him, Barbara, Celine and Karl were not only his cousins, but they were also his little brother and sisters.
Manuel was known for his delicious ceviche. Each time I would visit home from the States he would ensure he made me some ceviche. Growing up, everyone knew that when Manuel came in from the sea, he would definitely make some good ceviche for the family and take a couple drinks with his friends. He taught everyone how to make ceviche. I believe that will be a memory that will live on forever. Manuel was not only a fisherman; he was also a farmer. Those who know him well know that he had a knack for planting. He loved planting his habanero peppers, his herbs and flowers in the yard for his mom. When he was not at sea, he was in the bush, working as always to provide for his mom and help whom he could in the family.
His mother was everything to him. He would ensure that when he came from the sea, no matter where she was he would find her and give her his money before he would go out drinking with his friends. He loved his mother dearly, and she loved him the same. She would say “mi cross di come” when she saw him coming up the street to wherever she was. Manuel would always find her. When he lost her, it hit him really hard. He would say, “yo quiero ir con mi mama, aye mi madre, te amo”, as he looked up in the sky. Today, we are here, barely 3 years later, and we can now look up to the heavens, as they have been reunited, smiling down on us all.
In his later years he turned to drinking. It was the disease that would cost him his life. Regardless of this dreadful addiction, he remained the same loving, selfless person he was. He became even more loving, always hugging and kissing the kids as he saw them. When he would see JJ, Mama, Bully and Kyle he would hug them tight and say they were his “nene”. He would still visit everyone. He would take his drink, then pass by Bernadette to pick up his food and go home to rest. One thing for sure, he was always in bed early. We all loved Manuel; he was a son, brother, uncle, nephew and cousin to us all. We will forever hold him deep in our hearts, and whenever you miss him, just look up at the night’s sky, because Luna will always be shining bright, looking down on us!
May he rest in peace!
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March 5, 2022
Finca Solana
Corozal Town