ListenARIZONA
‘Thank you’ to my foster mom
It has been 38 years that I left my foster home in Tumacacori and I realize that I have never thanked my foster mother for the time and effort that she took in caring for me and my siblings.
I would like to take this time to do so and believe me that recalling such moments create a lump in my throat.
It was in the summer of 1967 that my brothers and sister were whisked away from my mom and dad and became property of the State Of Arizona as foster children. I recall the trip in a white Chevy Suburban. I thought we were just taking a ride but later realized it was the last ride I would take from my home.
We arrived in the evening and were greeted at the door by two cheerful ladies, one our foster mom and the other our "adopted grandmother." We walked into the home and were introduced to Lucilla Bejarano our foster mother and Guadalupe Gomez, her mother. It would be an amazing and educational time in our life.
It was at this home that we became children all over again. We could eat, sleep and be happy. It was a culture shock when we saw our first bathtub! We were used to bathing in a metal tub.
Mrs. Bejarano took the time to teach us manners, educated us about respect for others and treated us like her own children. Along with Grandma Lupe she took all of us to our first day of school and that was a total shock since we were used to our very own Elm Street School in downtown Nogales. We ended up at Calabasas School in Rio Rico, which consisted of four rooms and a handful of students.
I also recall the many times that Mrs. Bejarano would stay awake taking care of us when we were sick; the times that she would end up taking us to the doctor, dentist and shopping for clothes. Other times she worried so much that we'd get swept away by the current when we would leave her house and head down to the Santa Cruz River for a dip.
As we were growing up she got us involved in 4-H and helped us with our projects. My favorite was cooking. She was also there when I was heartbroken by my first girlfriend, I can still recall he comforting words: "Antonio, life is like a book, each page has a different story, you have a long ways to reach the end." And she was right, that book continues to give each of us a different story in life.
I have many thoughts in my mind about growing up as a foster child and not many are sad. Lucilla took the time and effort to make our lives happy and memorable, she shared the stories of her life and that served as an educational tool for ours.
I continue to stop at our home occasionally and visit Lucilla. She still treats me as her own and makes me feel at home.
That is why I am taking this opportunity to thank Lucilla Bejarano for the great care and love she provided to seven children whom she did not know and allowed us into her home to adopt us as her very own children. Gracias, Lucilla!
Tony Velasquez
20 January 2012
