Rodriguez loved unconditionally

Laurie Stone: PNT Correspondent

Adriana Rodriguez was born with Spine Bifida. She gave a strong witness that every life has a meaningful purpose. According to family and friends, she had a gift that reached into the heart of people revealing their own self worth.

Adriana Rodriguez died at the age of 20 due to a pulmonary embolism.

According to Eph. 4:16, God’s people are to take their lead from Christ, who is the source of everything good because His example leads people to a robust love in God.

Adriana Rodriguez carried God’s bright presence in her ability to love others unconditionally, according to family and friends.

“She was an angel,” said Dan Greathouse, Adriana Rodriguez’ friend and former teacher. “She taught me to never take for granted that every time you interact with someone, you are touching someone’s life. She brought fragrance to people’s lives because of the sweetness in her own character,” he said.

Adriana always glossed over her own needs by putting the needs of others before herself but in 1997, New Mexico’s Make-A-Wish Foundation made one of her dreams a reality when they gave her a computer. Her computer created an avenue of communication that gave greater meaning to her life because of the verbal interaction she was able to have with those close to her.

Adriana Rodriguez was born Jan. 24, 1985, to Diana (Baca) and Arthur Rodriguez in Albuquerque, NM. She graduated from Portales High School in May 2003. Her mother died in 2001 and she lived with her grandmother, Emma Baca, for the remainder of her life.

Her favorite color and the theme of her life, according to family and friends, was purple. She loved listening to music, especially NSYNC, and she was so pleased with the birth of her niece, Mariah Rodriguez, because she finally had someone she could spoil.

“Her life impressed my own,” said Pita Baca, Adriana’s cousin. “She helped me see how I should appreciate other people whether they have a disability or not.”

Father Tobin Hitt, the priest that officiated Adriana’s rosary, said, that love is an ability that tears down walls and builds people up.

“She carried this type of love because she drew God’s love out of people, Hitt said. “Love covers a multitude of sins and when we love on people it shows them the cross which takes the poison from us. Adriana had the ability to lead people to the cross,” he said.