On May 29, 2019, the Loretto community lost one of its most beloved members, Raymond James “R.J.” Bustillos.

When he wasn’t smiling and greeting everyone up and down the halls of the school, Loretto’s #1 fan could be found cheering on the sidelines of all our sports games.

Above all, R.J. is remembered for his limitless compassion and his kindness towards everyone he met.

Abigail Eudave, Loretto Academy senior and varsity volleyball player, said, “He was everyone’s friend.

“Anyone could walk by him, and he knew their names; he was able to bring joy anywhere he went, and it lingered even when he left.”

In memory of his kindness, Loretto has created the hashtag #ReplenishKindnessForRJ, and has started participating in the 22 Random Acts of Kindness Challenge.

In this challenge, Loretto Angels are encouraged to help someone in some small way in the hopes that their kindness might be contagious.

“If there are a couple of things that I learned from R.J., it was that the Dallas Cowboys are the best team in the world and that kindness can come from anyone at any time,” Eudave said.

R.J. was famous for his love of the football team the Dallas Cowboys.

In honor of this, those who attended the R.J. Memorial Game in the Loretto gym on September 24 wore the Dallas Cowboys’ official colors; they created a sea of blue, white, and silver in the bleachers and on the stage.

His memory has also been immortalized in the R.J. Bustillos Memorial Scholarship Fund at Loretto Academy, which will help young girls attend the school that R.J. considered to be his second home.

Ana Marie Cordova, a junior at Loretto Academy, said, “The most important lesson that R.J. taught me was to always be kind to everyone regardless of anything they’ve done or said.”

From 1996 until his passing, R.J. was a devoted volunteer both at Loretto and at our neighboring Nazareth Living Care Center where he brought cheer and warmth in equal measures.

A vigil was held for R.J. on June 2 in the Loretto gym, and his funeral mass was held on June 3 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral; both were filled with the faces of his loved ones.

R.J. is survived by his sister Vanessa Glover and by his mother and Loretto’s athletic director Angela Glover.

Angela Glover said, “We’ve been here at Loretto since 1996, and we’ve never left; R.J. loved this place, loved hugging the girls, and loved when they paid attention to him.”

Please keep them and the rest of R.J.’s family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time.

Sister Buffy said, “His heart was so big with love for us that it couldn’t keep growing; he would figure out how to know your name, and he’d never forget you.”

R.J. was a truly extraordinary person and had the unique ability of leaving a lasting positive impression on everyone he met.

With his endless stream of jokes and support for our Loretto Angels, he brought a tradition of joy that will live on within our walls for many years to come.

Keep his memory alive, and #ReplenishKindnessForRJ!