Obituary of Joshua O'Neill Gray

Joshua O'Neill Gray, 37, passed away on August 29, 2019 surrounded by his family at Saint Joseph's Hospital. He fought hard and tried to overcome all of his obstacles. Josh was born right outside of Denver, Colorado on August 6, 1982. He grew up in Corona De Tucson and went to Santa Rita High School. Josh loved to listen to music, draw, and watch his favorite reality TV shows. Josh had a heart bigger than life and would do anything for the ones he loved (or for a Mt. Dew). His favorite things in life were the birth of his daughter, Lilyanna, and spending time with his niece and nephew. He was fiercely stubborn and did everything with great determination. He struggled for a long time with his demons and wanted everyone else around him to do better than him. Josh wanted nothing but the best for his friends and family and would be honored to know how many people he touched throughout his life. He wants all of us to celebrate him and know he fought until the very end. Josh struggled with addiction for more than half of his life. His one wish in life was for the ones he loved that still struggle to reach out and get the help they need. If his story could help just one person, he would be forever grateful. If anyone still struggles with addiction, please reach out to the F**k Heroin Foundation at 419-971-KICK. Josh is preceded in death by his grandmother, Madelyn Brown (2009). She played an important part in his life and he is now with her again, embraced in her arms. Josh is survived by his mother (Kathy Salazar), father (step-dad, Dean Stapleton), three sisters (Sheena Crist, Season Stapleton, and Gillian Gray), brother in-law (Shane Crist), daughter (Lilyanna Grace), step-daughter (Makayla Cavell), Grandparents (Frank Brown and Paulette Brown), nephew (Jaidyn Crist), niece (Haylee Crist), and many cousins, aunts, and uncles. A celebration of Josh's life will be held at a later date. Any memorials can be made out to Clean Motives LLC or given to the family directly. We will be making a donation to the F**k Heroin Foundation in Josh's honor. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the nursing staff and doctors in the Neuro ICU at Saint Joseph's hospital. We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to Briana Morell and Dr. Poulose. They didn't hesitate to answer all of our questions and were there until the very end. Their care and kindness for their patients is truly one of a kind. His sister, Sheena, would like to dedicate a song in his honor. Please listen and take a moment to remember all of the good memories you have of Josh. https://youtu.be/ni8_ipUmpfg - Colicchie " Come Back Home "