Dominic Perez

Dominic Marcus Perez (aka Dom, Dommy, Nanu, Weed, Babe, Damnit), 28 years of age, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 14, 2022, in the comfort of his home in Bernalillo, New Mexico, surrounded by his loving family. The pain of losing this beautiful young man at such a young age is still being processed and may never fully be understood. One thing that is certain, he has entered into the great mystery and now knows true peace and grace.

He is survived by his daughter Raquel Adair-Perez, life partner Donna Tarango, their daughter Lucia Perez, Donna’s son Emilio Muñoz (whom Dominic loved like a son), his mother Erin Perez, younger brother Orion Johnson, Aunt Jennifer Perez, Uncles Erik Perez and Mario Perez, grandparents, Carmen and Alex Perez, and countless great aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends who love him. On his paternal side, he is survived by his father Mark Johnson Jr., brothers Anthony Johnson and Mark Johnson III, aunt and uncles Jennifer, James, and David Johnson, and grandparents Dean and Yolanda Johnson.

He is preceded in death by his Aunt Lucia Morales, Uncle Robert Morales, and Great Grandfather Alvin Griffis, all of whom led lives of great purpose and were incredibly positive influences on Dominic’s life.

Dominic was born on June 10, 1993 in Oxnard, CA. He spent most of his childhood between Texas and New Mexico, but in 2002, he returned with his mother and brother to his true home in New Mexico, rejoining his maternal side of the family, where he spent the rest of his days. He received his GED in 2012 and began his career path journey. He tried his hand at many different vocations, ultimately finding his passion for landscaping. He had a natural skill for irrigation, farming, and working with the land. He also loved helping people, so it was a natural fit and gave him great pride to work within this field.

Born a curious, open-hearted, and empathetic soul, his creativity and potential knew no bounds. He had a deep love for music and taught himself to play several instruments at a young age, settling in on the piano as his heart and soul instrument. Anyone who knew Dominic could tell you of his passion for the piano and how his performances never failed to deeply move people. He loved many styles of music and was always open to hearing something new. He could thoroughly rock out at a Dubstep or Metal concert one night and perform a medley of Zelda and Mario Brothers themed piano music for a Buddhist meeting the next morning, all the while willing and able to wax poetic on the magnificence of classical composition. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was one of his favorite works of all time.

Alongside his musical talent and work skills, he had the natural gift of humor. He could always make you laugh with his funny faces, photo bombs, jokes, and the creative stories he would tell with his many different voices. He loved fishing and most outdoor activities, never shying away from trying new things. He loved playing games of any kind (card games, video games, board games, etc.), and he was known for his outstanding chess skills. He loved to read and truly enjoyed learning, constantly selecting a different family member or friend to quiz on historical or random and interesting trivia. He also had a beautifully dark aesthetic and was always the number one frightener for our family’s annual Haunted Halloween extravaganza.

Dominic was not without his demons, but he had a huge heart and loved big, and no matter how immensely he struggled in life, he could always light up a room with laughter, quick wit, and his beautiful piano improvisations. His laugh was contagious and his personality infectious, making him the kind of person whose magnetism left a lasting impression on all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Dominic fought a monstrous battle with addiction, namely alcoholism, stemming from a combination of predisposition and childhood trauma. This life-long affliction led to the health issues that would later be the cause of his death. However, it is vital to note that he had been 7 months sober before the end, and that during that time, he was clear enough to finally feel and receive the tremendous love his family has always had for him, and in turn, express that love and appreciation back. Since the Summer of 2021, he had dedicated his life to sobriety and his family. With the support of the love of his life, Donna, his family, friends, AA, his Buddhist faith and faith community, and for the love of his children, he had maintained sobriety for the first time in his adult life. With a sober mind, he finally understood that addiction is a disease, one that requires professional treatment and a network of people dedicated to helping addicts become and remain healthy. He had faced himself finally and was ready to do the work. Sadly, his health had already taken an acute turn for the worse and his newly healed mindset was not enough to heal the damage already done to his body. It was, however, more than enough to make his departure from this world beautiful and transcendental, leaving behind a legacy of transformation for our entire family. This was his greatest gift.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 from 3-5pm at Rivera Family Kiva Chapel, 417 E. Rodeo Rd, Santa Fe, NM, where flowers, donations, and condolences may also be sent. The family and friends of Dominic Perez wish to express our deep, heartfelt gratitude for all expressions of love, support, and generosity during our time of bereavement. We also hope that his death will shed light on the horrors of addiction and encourage those suffering, as he did, to seek help, because one should never have to dwell in that dark place alone. Dominic will be missed with the vastness of a thousand oceans, but it is without a doubt to those who knew and loved him that he was victorious in the end, that he fought hard and well, and his legacy will live on through his beautiful children.