What is something important that happened to Gary soto?

Gary Soto's father passed away when he was five years old. This event had a profound impact on his life and writing. Soto has written extensively about his father's death, and how it shaped his childhood and adolescence. In his memoir, _Living Up to La Vida,_ Soto describes how his father's death left him feeling lost and alone. He struggled to find his place in the world, and often felt like an outsider. Soto's writing has helped him to come to terms with his father's death, and to find a sense of peace and closure.