THE
GAZETTE VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 17 SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
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WILTON MANORS
SUNFLOWERS & SORROW CHRIS CAPUTO REMEMBERS HIS PARTNER LEO PERALTA
By John Hayden A life and a love story were tragically cut short. Leo Peralta and Wilton Manors City Commissioner Chris Caputo were in love and it showed. From nights out dancing as if no one were watching, to afternoons volunteering for myriad causes, to early morning training rides for the SMART Ride, you could see the love. Then, Leo took his own life. In the days since, Caputo has mourned and grieved. But he’s also learned more about Leo, his life, and gained a greater understanding for people struggling with mental wellness issues. He’s also been planning a Celebration of Life for Saturday, Sept. 3, at 4:30 p.m. in Richardson Park. He sat down with me to talk about his life with Leo, the good times and bad, and how he hopes to turn Leo’s struggles into something positive for people dealing with mental health problems.
STRUGGLE BEHIND THE SMILE If you’ve spent any time this year attending events in the Wilton Manors social or political scene, you’ve likely seen Leo. His eyes were beaming and his smile was bright. But diving headfirst into the community didn’t come naturally to him. Everyone who met him, loved him. But he struggled to accept that love. “What is apparent is when you loved him, he ran from you,” Caputo said. “There has to be something that happened at some point in his life that caused him to not be able to handle love.” But being together helped bring Leo out of
his shell and into the community, and if you saw him smile, Caputo said it was genuine. “He wasn’t a ‘fake it till you make it’ [person].” Right after an event that was held shortly before he died, Chris said Leo was excited for upcoming events. “I said to Leo, this is the best day in our relationship. I’ve never been more in love with you than I am right now. He had this transition from selfish to selfless.”
SEEING THE SIGNS About a month before he died, more signs began to appear. Trainers at his gym said he wasn’t putting in the same effort that transformed him from a skinny guy to muscled up man in under a year. Then he confided in Caputo that he was going to kill himself. Caputo contacted people that specialize in getting help for LGBT people in dire situations. He reluctantly began seeing someone. But it meant helping him get past the shame and changing one little word to get past Leo’s fears. “I can’t tell you I have a mental illness because then I’m broken and you’re going to leave me. The shift happened to get him to go when I told him he’s having challenges with mental wellness.” Rejecting love was a key part of Leo’s struggle and became a go-to reaction when anyone got close. Caputo never met Leo’s family until after the suicide.
Chris Caputo and Leo Peralta. Photo via Chris Caputo/Facebook.
“I remember freaking out at the hospital, when it was clear we’re not married, they were gonna have to notify the next of kin.” Leo had told him that the family, which practices the Jehovah Witness faith, had outright rejected him. As it turns out, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
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“They were so full of love and it immediately became apparent that something in the story wasn’t going to add up. They loved him through and through. They tried many times CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE.
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