My grandmother had an immovable spirit. From a very young age, she was the caretaker of her sick mother and her family, having to leave school while her father worked. Later on in life, after marrying my grandfather and having two children, she had to overcome the pain of leaving the rest of her family behind in Cuba in order to escape the clutches of communism to have a better life in the United States. She lost her husband very early on, who died in his 60's. My abuela went through numerous surgeries to remove cancer from her body, dialysis three times a week, all while suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Yet despite all this, she never, ever complained and, when asked how she was doing, she always replied, “Yo estoy bien� (I’m fine). She always thought of others before herself, and helped raise me and my two cousins , Henry and Lisette, who loved to run around the house and drive her crazy.
My grandmother had the inner strength of a tiger, despite her soft and fragile exterior. Her patience, love, and concern for others, despite all the many hardships she endured, serves as proof that we can overcome any challenges in our life, while never losing ourselves to the chaos.
Her nurturing love and her strength was the greatest gift she ever gave to our family. We will forever love you Abuelita!
