Avener Santos Herrera

Avener Santos Herrera born October 27, 1967 in Nueva Concepcion, Chalatenango, El Salvador, passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 20, 2020. He is survived by the light of his life: his wife Leslie, two children: Ariel and Carolina, mother: Juana, and siblings: Horacio, Ovidio, Adan, Amelia, Concepcion, Cruz, and Guadalupe. He joins his father Isidro and sister Eva in heaven.

He was a proud member of the Salvadoran Armed forces and served in the Salvadoran Civil War prior to migrating to the United States as a refuge in 1990. He became a proud United States citizen in 2006.

His greatest accomplishment was his family. He was hardworking and provided for them until his last breath. He never complained and many times, more than we can count, went to work sick just to provide for his family. He took great pride in working hard; from living in a small apartment to owning a family home that was comfortable for those who lived and visited there. As the sole provider to his family he was able to see the fruits of his labor through the successes of his children in living the American Dream. His son, Ariel, will soon graduate Vanderbilt University and his daughter, Carolina, will soon graduate Advanced Technologies Academy. He enjoyed love ballads, a love that lives on with his children. He was a person who was determined and achieved anything he set his mind to. Carolina remembers his gentle nature as he would cry during their Disney movie dates. Ariel’s earliest memory is playing soccer with his father outside of his childhood mobile home off of Boulder Highway. He taught his children that they could do achieve anything in this world. Ariel and Carolina were truly fortunate to have such an incredible father that prepared them well for the world ahead of them. He could eat with the best of them and loved food, despite his slender build. Many joked that he became Costa Rican the day he met his wife. He followed Costa Rican news, sports teams, and loved the country just as much as other nationals. He truly represented the scripture, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). He always put Leslie first and made her the most important person in his life. Their marriage held strong over 22 years of trials and tribulations full of love. He was loved and respected by many families and friends who will remember him by the smile on his face and his gentle, yet strong character.