Posted on 12/08/2018 8:07:11 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
On November 18, 37-year-old José Garcia reached the finish line of the Bakersfield Marathonbut he didnt cross alone.
Before the end, Garcia went up to the sidelines to take hold of his 76-year-old mother-in-law, Odilia Esparza, who is battling late-stage Alzheimers disease, so she could finish the race with him.
Esparza was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2010, and the disease has progressed to the point she can no longer walk, talk, or recognize her family members. But Esparzas daughter, Daniela, fondly remembers the days before her adopted mothers illness.
While she was not a runner, she was a big believer in an active lifestyle. Esparza would often encourage Daniela to get up, get out, and go walk for miles and miles.
Esparza can no longer walk 5Ks, hike, or kayak like she used to, but Daniela wants to keep her involved in those active family activities, and return the same kindness that Odilia showed her when she was adopted.
She could have left me there, and I consider her giving me a second chance, Daniela said. At this point, when she needs somebody, why cant I give her that second chance?
(Excerpt) Read more at runnersworld.com ...
What a nice gesture.
That’s both sad and sweet at once.
This is a good lesson for the children, to see their Dad making an effort, making the time to be with this Lady.
My father was that way when his father-in-law; my maternal Grandad fell into a similar state of mind. He acted almost like a son would have been.
My dad did not take Grandad’s occasional rudeness personally, and he was always respectful to the elder man. We kids would never, ever have spoken to my father like that. Nor did we ever want to. We witnessed lessons in empathy, patience and generosity. I have to remind myself of these lessons from time to time. Open my heart a little bit.
Beautiful! Thanks for posting this. I loved the picture in the article. Every member of this (presumably) Mexican American family is decked out in full stars-and-stripes regalia. I love it. God bless them.
Altro non e che mozzafiatto.
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