Jessie L. Valdes

Jessie Louis Valdes was born on July 9th, 1984 in Queens, New York to Maria Teresa Gonzalez and Luis Valdes. As a child growing up, Jessie always had an outgoing personality that commanded everyone’s attention everywhere he went. He learned early on that laughter was a key factor to overcoming life’s struggles and spent his time making jokes, pulling pranks, and making everyone around him laugh and feel welcomed. As a teenager, Jessie moved to Orlando, FL and attended Evans High School where he became the first and only unforgettable “Trojan Man” and he was also part of the school step team. Jessie was full of energy and was always active in school and the community. He became the life of the party and no one could truly have a good time unless he was involved and present. He rapidly rose in popularity as a neighborhood staple amongst his peers. If you wanted something exclusive to wear, you called Jessie. If you wanted to know where the hottest events were happening, you called Jessie. If you wanted to be “in the know” you called Jessie. What was loved most about Jessie was that he remained “approachable”. He was the same fun-loving, warm, energetic guy no matter what he was going through. He wore his flaws proudly and never thought himself to be better than the next person. He filled his friends and family with encouragement and positive vibes. Jessie was an emotionally secure man. He never hesitated to declare his feelings for others at any given time or place. He was serious about the love he projected on to others and expressed it loudly at all times, saying things like “Hey, I love you my brother!”. He was highly motivated to not be a statistic or be labeled as a product of his environment. That motivation skyrocket when he became a father. Jessie prided himself on being family oriented and taking care of his kids. They were the most important thing in his life. He loved spending time with his son Jessie Jr. (affectionately known as JJ, His twin, or His King) and his “little Queen Dhalis”. As a result of his desire to fight the good fight and provide for them, he set his eyes on the prize and won. His dream of becoming an entrepreneur and going into business for himself was actualized on March 6th, 2021 at the grand opening of Studio 51, right in the heart of Pine Hills, where Jessie grew up and spent most of his time. Jessie was well-traveled and possessed a “hustler’s spirit”. He wanted good things in life and he always made things happen for him and his family. Jessie was survived by his mother Maria, his father Luis, stepfather Pedro, son Jessie Jr., daughter Dhalis, his brothers Damiane, nephews and niece Dalen( Noodle), Damiane Jr and Ava his aunt and uncle Marta and Lazaro and a long line of aunts, uncles and cousins spread across the United States and Cuba. Jessie was also survived by a great deal of friends whom he considered his family as they were extremely close.

Jessie L. Valdes

July 9, 1984 - March 13, 2021