I want to let you all know about something I've been through. Just yesterday afternoon I learned that Erika Roman passed away. For those of you who don't know who Erika Roman is she was a very popular VJ on Power 95.3 (a radio station in Florida). I'm about to start my blogger confession.
I met Erika Roman about 8 years ago (when she wasn't a VJ and just someone from the hood, like myself). I started a relationship with a good friend of Erika's and he is now the father of my last 2 children. At that point in time, Erika had made a few comments about me having 2 older children and the comments were not appreciated. She also made a few comments to some friends of mine that caused me to not like Erika Roman. Despite all of that, I learned something from Erika. I learned that life is short and you need to appreciate the time you are here because tomorrow is not promised. Stop concentrating on things that are not important and enjoy the good moments God has blessed you with. She was a young, talented woman with dreams and aspirations like myself. My point in saying all this is that I wish circumstances were different. I wish I can say to her "I'm sorry" for the things I've said about her in retaliation to the things she has said about me. I wish I could've had a sit down with her to hash out our differences. We both knew the same people, we were both in the same field and industry, and we were both living in Long Island. My prayers are with her family and friends (which include my childrens father). I am sorry for your loss. Here is the article according to the Orlando Sentinel:
A popular Orlando radio DJ was killed Friday when she tried to avoid debris on Florida’s Turnpike and her car ended upside down underwater about 20 miles south of Osceola County.
Erika Roman, 31, the morning host on Power 95.3 FM, was killed in the 1:30 p.m. single-car crash.
A Florida Highway Patrol report says she was driving southbound on the Turnpike in the right-hand lane and swerved to the left to avoid a lounge chair in the road.
She then overcorrected her 2007 Nissan Sentra and drove off the highway and onto the shoulder, according to the report. That’s when her car flipped several times as it traveled more than 50 feet to a roadside canal and came to rest upside-down and submerged.
A Highway Patrol trooper and another motorist went into the water to rescue the car’s lone occupant. The other motorist was injured in his rescue attempt and was taken to a hospital, but the trooper was able to pull Roman from the water. He performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 20 minutes, but was unable to revive her.
She was pronounced dead at Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce.
In Roman’s final note to friends about 8 a.m. on the Web service Twitter, Roman said: “Ready to go to MIAMI today! Gonna hang with the fam!!!
There is another star in the sky and another angel with God now. Rest In Peace Erika Roman.
Erika Roman was my homegirl; my family...period. I met her as a kid working in the NY offices of Sal Abbatiello of Disco Fever fame. Erika did much for Sal & Fever Records and I was elated a few years ago when she told me she was heading to Florida to pursue her dreams. It seems like yesterday that we were all celebrating in a packed NY lounge her departure to greener pastures.
ReplyDeleteBecause of a bio I wrote for Erika and a t-shirt from my clothing line (MAMI) that I had given her to wear for her PR Photo, Erika told me --in all her humility-- that I was one of the reasons she landed the job at 95.3 a few years back. I told her, "she" was the reason she landed the job, I just did what good friends do.
Erika's radiant personality, humble disposition, and infectious character, were all responsible for her success. Factor in talent & beauty and it was a no brainer.
Erika had reached out to me last month (after quite some time) to pen her new bio. She even offered to pay me; imagine that, paying her family!? Erika was planning on launching her new website and tackling a host of other great things and needed a new bio to go with her really gorgeous and new PR Photo.
I gladly blessed my homegirl E (as I called her) with that new bio and she said: "WOW Jimmy its amazing!!!!! great job I can't wait to get this up!!!! Amazing you made me so happy and proud most of all to have a friend to look out for me.... I know its a matter of time till the next level of my career and it all starts with the foundation which is a well done package thanks again Jimmy thanks."
Those were her last words to me. I wrote in her new bio: “If determination had a face, it would look like Erika Roman. If passion had a voice, it would sound like Erika Roman. And if character had a touch, it would feel like Erika Roman.”
It broke my heart to read an email from Sal Abbatiello this morning saying we prematurely lost, E. It was even harder reading those words from the bio in countless news reports of her death. If you would have told me 3 weeks ago when I wrote that quote above that it would ultimately be read like a eulogy, I would have smacked you. The fact that it eventually did, gave me a cold feeling inside.
To truly know Erika Roman was to truly love her; and trust me, we ALL loved her. The good really do die young. In closing, Erika was an angel given to us 31 years ago. Her purpose was to change lives and leave her mark in the ways angels and good human beings are supposed to: with love, peace, and positiviy.
God called Erika back home on May 1st to once again be amongst his angels. It is May 3rd and I choose not to mourn her departure, bet to celebrate her life and service as an angel . R.I.P., E!I'll miss you dearly.
-James "Koe" Rodriguez
11:51 AM May 3rd 2009