Members of Elisa Gastellum's family say they are certain the 18-year-old Pima College student is with God, that the rising mariachi star had passed her audition for the heavenly choir.
Elisa received signs that her time on Earth was coming to an end, said her mother, Terri Gastellum, in an interview before thousands of friends and family members gathered for her wake Thursday and funeral Friday.
Elisa had recently dreamt of being embraced by her cousin, José Otero, who died a decade ago in a car crash, also at age 18.
She attended a vigil to the Blessed Sacrament at the chapel at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church the day before she died, her mother said, and heard a voice — God telling her "Don't be afraid" three times.
And on the evening of Feb. 24, just before Elisa died in a car crash, she sang to a friend, unbidden and unexpected, the song, "Si Dios me Quita la Vida" ("If God Takes My Life").
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"I have a lot of peace because Elisa is so close to God," said her mother.
The Gastellum family shared their stories Friday with family members, friends and Elisa's fellow mariachis who gathered at St. Augustine Cathedral for the 8 a.m. funeral Mass.
Elisa lay in a white casket placed near her white charro sombrero, dozens of floral arrangements and photographs that chronicled her life. The family will not be able to give Elisa a wedding, her mother said, and so decided to give her a grand funeral.
The Rev. Liam Leahy was the main celebrant of five priests and three deacons who gathered at the altar before an estimated 1,400 people.
Thursday night, several thousand more attended Elisa's wake. The family greeted lines of mourners for about four hours.
Her parents, Bobby and Terri, brother Xavier, and sister Marisol Delsi greeted lines of mourners, passing on their firmly believed message: Elisa is in a better place — in heaven with God.
Elisa — an up-and-coming mariachi singer who appeared nationally on a Univision Christmas Day special — died Feb. 24 around 11 p.m. The car she was driving north on North Greasewood Road near West Speedway crossed over the center line and collided with a car headed south.
At the funeral, many young people wore Elisa's photo on their shirts. One striking image was Elisa's face superimposed on an image of La Virgen de Guadalupe.
Terri Gastellum said she now understands that God was coming for her daughter and did not want her to be afraid. She said that about three weeks ago Elisa was able for the first time to sing out loud to the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel at St. John's.
"The chapel was empty so Elisa told me she sang 'The Heart of Worship' — something that she had wanted to do for a long time," Terri Gastellum said.
Marisol Delsi said her sister, in that moment, was auditioning for God and now is in heaven arranging music for the joy of others.
Music filled the cathedral Friday as dozens of mariachi performers gathered at the north end to play and sing songs including "Buenos Dias Paloma Blanca" ("Good Morning White Dove") and "Ave María."
Elisa's voice instructor, Monica Treviño, was overcome with emotion and had a difficult time finishing "Amor Eterno" ("Eternal Love") while she stood looking at a large photograph of Elisa near her coffin.
At Holy Hope Cemetery, 3555 N. Oracle Road, the Rev. Ray Ratzenberger gave the graveside service, telling the crowd to "let our faith be our consolation."
White doves were released and mariachis played and sang favorite farewell songs.
Elisa was buried near a shade tree, not far from her grandfather Manuel Gastellum.
On StarNet: View a slide show of images from Elisa Gastellum's funeral at www.azstarnet.com
"I have a lot of peace because Elisa is so close to God."
Terri Gastellum, Elisa's mother
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