John Tarasovic 1979-2006

Born in New Jersey, John moved to Quito, Ecuador, with his family when he was six years old. In school, he had many friends and was very close to all of his family, especially his cousins. From a young age, John was very intellectual and had a special interest in music. As a child, he was extremely curious — he would take apart his favorite remote-control cars just to put them back together and find out how they worked. When he was around 13, his parents divorced. He learned to play the guitar when he turned 15 and quickly began to write songs. John loved reading, poetry, and literature.

In 1998, he came to Santa Barbara to pursue his studies. John obtained a degree in English and was pursuing a career in computer engineering. While he was going to S.B. City College, he renewed communication with his father after almost 10 years. Soon afterward, he realized he had a problem; his motivation started slipping little by little. He started losing interest in everything he once found enjoyable. Slowly he fell into depression and was diagnosed bipolar in 2001. John and his family struggled with the disease for many years, not fully understanding its consequences.

John was the sweetest brother a sister could have, the most loving son a mother could wish for. He had a kind and generous heart and a tremendous love for God. He is remembered by his parents Elba and Jan, his sisters Jane and Jennifer, and many friends.