Paul Gerard Barrera, a raconteur, traveler, artist, lover of music, deep reader, beloved father, brother, cousin, friend, and lifetime New Yorker, died on March 6, 2024.

Paul was born in Queens, New York, at Booth Memorial Hospital on May 19, 1964. Among four brothers, he was the second oldest son of Edna Milagros (Millie) Barrera and Fernando Barrera. His parents were natives of Puerto Rico and Colombia, respectively. The family lived in Kew Gardens, Queens, before moving to West Islip on Long Island. He was a star soccer player and artist in grade school and college. Later, he traveled throughout Europe, with lengthy stays in England and Greece, and India, before starting a general contracting business in New York City. 

Witty, charming, and collector of loyal friends, Paul was a storyteller extraordinaire who could turn a momentary experience into a laughter-filled yarn, an interesting insight , or a surprising, odd tale. He believed in helping others, whether family, friends, or a stranger he met on the street. The calm amid the storms, he could turn fiercely protective of his loved ones. Paul was, in the past few years, navigating a path of self-awareness that he found exciting and invigorating.

Paul's parents are deceased, and he is survived by two sons, Japhy and Zak; partner Annalisa Birdsall; brothers, Frank, Edward, and Anthony; sisters-in-law, Sarah, Michelle, Kayoko; former spouse Melissa Stanley; a large, close, extended family of nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, and cousins; and a community of longtime friends.

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