David Adam Ponce De Leon Zamora

The viewing service to honor and celebrate David Adam Ponce De Leon Zamora will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at East Olympic Funeral Home in Los Angeles. A time for family and friends to gather, pay respect, and celebrate David’s life.

David was born on October 20, 1972 in Orange County, California. He passed away on February 26, 2024 from lung cancer surrounded by his loving family. David is survived by his wife Berenice Aguilar, son Andrew Ponce De Leon, his mother Martha Ponce De Leon, his father Guillermo Zamora, his sister Maria Guadalupe Young, his brothers Joshua Sierra, William Zamora, Eddie Zamora, and extended family members.

The news of David’s untimely passing surprised and saddened many of his family and friends. He chose to privately battle cancer, not wanting to burden anyone. He didn’t make his decision lightly, and questioned if it was the right thing to do. But in the end, that was the path he chose to take. 

Everyone who knew David felt his big heart and giving nature and knew that he was the most loving father, husband, son, and sibling a family could ask for. He shared the same love with his community of friends, professionals, and acquaintances spanning across the globe. His enormous personality filled the room with something special that can’t be adequately described. To try to capture him in a few paragraphs is impossible for his larger-than-life personality. He was a force of nature with his capable ways and creative mind.  He was fearless and independent, yet sensitive and incredibly compassionate. He loved nature (rocks, trees, water, birds, animals, the blue sky, the beach) and cherished being at one with nature through hiking, swimming, or simply admiring it as he sat on his balcony. He dearly loved his family, his friends, his dogs, and loved creating memories.  

He was passionate about the performing arts—music, theater, and movies. He graduated from UCLA in 1995 with a degree in Theater and Film Arts. Professionally David’s journey includes TV series such as Crossing Jordan, and The Parkers. His first break into the film industry came right out of college, when he was cast as a lead for the film Chupacabra, where he played the lead FBI agent. His screenplays include Heart of the Son, The Cage, and The Substitute of Love, which he also directed. One of his career milestones was to write, produced, and direct the featured film Road To Juarez. David is also credited with the creation of three full-length television pilots for network television and is Co-Executive on two episodic series. In short, he made things happen.  

David will always remain a unique individual, as he could be a bull in a China shop, then be fragile as a child. He loved to write and would quote Shakespeare and luxuriated in words—their sound, and meaning. He often fought for the perfect word for a character or dialogue. He was never a middle-of-the-road type of man. He held strong opinions and wasn’t afraid to express them. But when the dust settled, he settled with it. He could even change his mind, given some time to reflect. In the last years of David’s life (not knowing they were the last) he embraced his former faith in God from which he had wandered.  

The love of David’s life was his son Andrew (Andy); of Andy he wrote this precious Facebook comment on December 20, 2022: 

“After 20 years doing it, I think I’m a better than average writer. Perhaps not GREAT yet, but I can aptly throw down with anyone I’ve read, in any genre.

But I don’t have the talent to express in words how much I love my son. It just pours out of me.  Gushes actually. Constantly. Am I weird? Is it because I’m tired all the time? Is it because he’s so damn cute and talented? Or maybe because I waited ‘til later in life to have children? Is it because I’m Latino? I literally can’t rustle his hair without fucking getting misty eyed.

Don’t know, but for me, the sun rises and sets on this little guy.” 

Could anyone say it more simply, with such honesty and feeling? As seems fitting for a film writer/director, the dialogue from the movie Ghost seems apropos, “It’s amazing. The love you have inside, you take it with you.” 

David fought with zeal and devotion through it all to be here for his beloved son, but alas it could not be. He is now sailing on a journey to shores we cannot see, but we know that he is free from pain and floating peacefully with his sea creature friends in the crystal clear turquoise waters of his dreams. David, we miss you. We love you. And we’ll share your love again someday.  Until then, may you rest in peace dearest David. 

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that a memorial donation be made to David’s wife (Berenice Aguilar via Zelle or Venmo) for a college fund for his beloved son Andrew Ponce De Leon. Donations may also be used to tackle medical bills, funeral expenses, and to help with general living expenses as his wife and son find the best living arrangement moving forward without David (a major pillar of the family structure).