Bayamón Mayor Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz recalled a promise he and his siblings made to their father, former mayor Ramón Luis Rivera Rivera, to care for him at home until the end. During his father's wake, Rivera Cruz expressed that the family feels at peace knowing they honored his wishes. He shared that his father had made them promise not to put him in a nursing home, and they fulfilled that promise.
Rivera Cruz also expressed gratitude for the support received since his father's death and asked for understanding as the family responds to messages. He described his father as a unique and special person who taught him and his siblings the importance of keeping their word, being honest, and treating others with respect. Rivera Cruz shared childhood memories, including an incident where he found a dollar and used it to buy a toy for a neighbor, to illustrate the lessons his father taught. The wake was held at Rubén Rodríguez Coliseum in Bayamón.