Of course, I do have to point out that my friendship with Vanessa Marquez was in many ways nothing unusual. Perhaps because she suffered from agoraphobia at different times in her life, Vanessa made many friends online, many of whom she would stay in touch with through phone calls and texts as well as emails and social media. Even though she never met any of them in person, as was the case with me, she became very close to many of them. Indeed, she even named one of our mutual friends as next of kin. There are those who claim that friends made online are not "real" friends, but I know from experience that is not true, and I know that Vanessa would agree with me.
Regardless, there would be good reason that many would have affection for Vanessa. She was much more than just a talented, beautiful, well-known actress. She was a kind, compassionate, loving, and intelligent woman. She cared deeply for her friends. She worried about them if they were ill or not doing well, and was happy for them when they were successful. When Jaime Escalante (the teacher upon whom the movie Stand and Deliver was based) developed cancer, she was unflagging in raising funds for his treatment. Vanessa's compassion extended to living things beyond human beings as well. For at time, she volunteered at the animal shelter in Pasadena. Vanessa also had a wonderful sense of humour. Even when she was at her sickest, she remained upbeat. I could have an absolutely horrible day, and talking with Vanessa would cheer me up.
This year for Vanessa's birthday, I thought I would do something special. I created a slideshow video as a tribute to her. Given I did it on my phone, it is fairly basic, with little in the way of editing, but it does feature several screen captures from her movie and TV appearances,as well as photos of Vanessa. For the song, I chose "In My Life" by The Beatles. I don't know if it was her favourite Beatles song or not, but I do know for a fact that she loved the song. Anyway, I do hope she appreciates it. Happy birthday, Vanessa.
