Mendoza is survived by his son, Brannley, 3, and his wife, Lisette Rojas-Vidals. The pair began dating after attending Lisette's high school prom and "instantly" fell in love, she said.
Rojas-Vidals launched a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of medical bills she is left to pay off.
"Ismael at the age of just 25 years old was a brave soul who was determined to conquer this illness and fought very hard until the end," said Rojas-Vidals, "a true hero and a fighter whose memory and impact on his loved ones will forever be remembered and he will never be forgotten."
Mendoza would often speak of teaching Brannley how to ride bike and watch him grow from a little boy to teenager to man, his wife said. Most of all, he wanted to see his son have his own love story.
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