Isabella "Izzy" Pugeda Ofsanko
Isabella was born on June 18, 1997 at Long Beach Memorial Hospital in California. She inherited many nicknames such as Izzy, Boo, Monkfish, Boo Bear, Sweet Potato and Monk(ey). She lived in West Los Angeles and moved to Torrance at the age of three. She attended Riviera Lutheran Preschool, Riviera Elementary, Richardson Middle School, South High and Point Loma Nazarene University.
​Izzy grew up attending church with her family on occasion but one day when she was 8 or 9 years old said she believed in Mother Nature. “You can see Mother Nature all around you” she explained, as she waved her hand out in front of her, “but you can’t see God’s footprints in the sand.” When she was a sophomore in high school, she visited her sister in college and attended her church, Reality San Francisco. The sermon moved her so deeply that she began to regularly attend Reality Los Angeles back home. This was the beginning of her relationship with God, and motivated her to apply to college at Point Loma Nazarene University.
​Isabella began her freshman year at PLNU in September 2015 and was ecstatic when she learned she was accepted into their nursing program. She always gravitated towards children but was still undecided whether she wanted to work in the Labor and Delivery Unit or the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. On October 11, 2015, less than six weeks into her freshman year, she tragically passed away in a car accident.​
Boo was a happy, loving and headstrong person. One of the first things you noticed about her was her vibrant smile (with one dimple) and her fashionable sense of style. Her laugh was high pitched, loud and contagious. She was very responsible, yet knew how to let loose and have fun. From an early age, she was an effective communicator, questioned things that didn’t make sense to her, and stood up for what she believed. Her family and friends were very important to her and she always made sure they knew how much she loved and cared about them, whether she told them she loved them as she rushed out the front door, or texted them good luck on a test she remembered they were taking that day. She was a gifted athlete, excelled in soccer and track and was known for her tremendous speed. Her good grades were rewarded with two academic college scholarships. She had a certain presence about her, as one PLNU student described:
I remember seeing Izzy for the first time on our hall and I immediately knew there was something special about her…she would smile and say ‘hi’ to me…my roommate and I always talked about how badly we wanted to become friends with her.Another PLNU student remembered: She always looked for opportunities to uplift, compliment and bless people.
One of her best friends described her as:
One of the most loyal and loving friends I’ve ever had. I loved her for being the only person to drop what she was doing and drive to my house and let me cry with her when things weren’t going right.
​Izzy had a special place in her heart for those in need. She was sympathetic to unwanted animals and wished she could save them all. At PLNU, she joined clubs in which she volunteered to feed the homeless and visit with the elderly. Izzy had a compassionate heart and didn’t understand the evil in this world. She was not ashamed to share stories of her darkest, difficult times with others if it could help even one person. In her Senior High School speech, she said if anyone ever felt depressed or alone, they could always come to her because she was there for them.​
Isabella was very introspective, marveled at the beauty of God’s creation and had a deep connection with nature. She enjoyed hiking, watching the beautiful sunsets from the Torrance Beach parking lot and cliffs of Palos Verdes, dancing on tables, snacking on petite carrots, spontaneously running into the cold ocean (screaming friend in tow) while laughing the entire time, Abba-Zabba, reading self-reflective books, keeping her things neat and organized, Converse high tops, getting mani- and pedicures, the color yellow (she said it made her happy), making popcorn after school, jumping off cliffs into the water, driving “Leo” (the name she gave her car) with the sunroof open, tying her hair up in a bun, and making personalized Christmas gifts. She loved driving her jet ski full throttle while jumping the wakes and doing doughnuts as she tried to throw off her terrified passenger into the lake as they held on for dear life. They all eventually fell off.​
In her short 18 years, Izzy lived her life to the absolute fullest.
One of her closest friends said:I think this is the epitome of Isabella:
Taking on work for herself in order to experience worthwhile things, and letting others experience these things too. She understood there was no reward for complacency, and this is a lesson I will take with me for life.
Another PLNU student reflected:
Izzy always reminded us to be thankful for the life we have. She never complained, but instead expressed her gratitude for the life she had and the opportunities she was given.
​Isabella is ever-present as she continues to touch and inspire those who knew her as well as those who never met her. She leaves behind her beautiful legacy while teaching us valuable lifelong lessons. Izzy is proof that there are angels among us. She embraced all that life offered her and is greatly missed as she continues to remind us that "LifeIzzBeautiful”.