Smart, kind, funny natural musician
Caleb Calvert, a well-spoken, empathic, and naturally talented musician with long, curly locks, was equal parts shy introvert and footloose adventurer. A fascination with history, a penchant for storytelling, and a creative spirit guided him. His mind reveled in stories of the past, and his fingers sought the company of any stringed instrument within reach. Older party guests, especially veterans, were often accosted by the curious Caleb, who was fascinated by their stories. Demonstrating loyalty and sympathetic nature beyond his years, he noticed everyone, stayed loyal, could fit in anywhere, and chose vegetarianism at age six, maintaining it long after. Caleb delighted in travel, visiting twenty countries and as many states, gaining certification to scuba dive, and visiting museums as he went. He was dedicated to his workplace, organized monthly movie nights, loved spending time with his family, and delighted in frequent trips to IHOP for pancakes and chocolate milk.
Though obsessed with cinema and history, he loved modern music more than anything else. He sang and wrote songs, performed a cover that gained the attention of the original artists, and formed jazz and death metal bands with carefully curated musicians alongside him. His family supported him pursuing it full-time, realizing the talent and passion he possessed. Loved immeasurably by his grandparents, surrounded by his six cousins, and listening to his Aunt Rhonda’s favorite bands formed a childhood full of happy memories with tunes and tales in the background. His best friends Chili and Reese, as well as his girlfriend Katie, all became influential family, too.
Grief-stricken by the passing of his former partner, Kimberlee, in 2017, Caleb’s substance use took hold. Instruments were pawned, money and possessions went missing, and angry outbursts became commonplace as misuse persisted. Suspicion replaced trust as he failed to veil his disorder. After coming to terms with the issue, and with Katie’s encouragement and a dream of full-time musicianship, he sought Ibogaine treatment. Unfortunately, though, a week later, a musical life dedicated to friendship, family, and the pursuit of harmony ended with a crescendo.
With Caleb’s song complete, his legacy and impact remain. Exposure to substance use disorder and its devastating effects have encouraged his mother, Cathy Alonzo, to be more understanding. She states, “The face of addiction is not a junkie with no job and abandoned by family. The face of addiction can be anyone – someone’s child, parent, brother or sister, friend, coworker, [or] neighbor.”
Cathy made a wish in the wake of Caleb’s passing. “I hope that everything I do in his memory makes him proud that I am his mom.” Shame, guilt, blame, and regret haunt the space he left behind, but so do the memories of a dynamic, inspiring life filled with rhythm and soul.
Caleb’s mother, Cathy Alonzo, provided the information for this narrative.
March 4, 1997-May 22, 2023-Age 26
Portrait Artist: Elizabeth Jones
Narrative Writer: Jill Denton
