Mario Gomez Jr., Psychology student here at Cerritos College, has died. He was 22.

Gomez, who was part of the disabled students program, died Feb. 17th after going into cardiac arrest caused by heart failure due to medications he was taking for hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is caused when your thyroid starts producing too much thyroid hormone and the balancing system doesn’t function properly, then you can become hyperthyroid, and your body goes into overdrive, gets sped up, causing an increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and burning more calories more quickly.

Gomez is survived by his mother, JoAnn Perez, 42, his brothers Manuel, 22, Mitchell, 17, and Sister Jennifer, 19. All of which are students here at Cerritos College. Perez, communications, remembers her son as “… a very good person with a good heart. He was really easy going. A great student who loved school.” ” He loved living.” continued Perez ” He was well liked and very proud of his accomplishments. He was most proud of the fact that he was a graduate of St. John Bosco High School.” Gomez was said to always be concerned about his schoolwork and always trying his best at everything he did. ” He never complained about a thing…”Perez explained “He always gave his all.” ” Mario had a lot of hopes and dreams,” Perez concluded, ” He never gave up. Until his last day, He still tried to fulfill all his dreams, and reach all his goals.”