With all that was happening, it seemed like months had passed by but, it had only been 6 days into this ordeal and we still had no response from David. Jorge had asked for time off from work, and his job agreed on holding his position as long as he needed. One of David’s closest friends, John Thorne, had arranged for us to stay at a hotel across the street from the hospital. At the same time, my aunt Flor had decided to move back into her house, which she had been reconditioning and painting. I called this providence.
Through our new reality as a family, we experienced every emotion of anguish at different stages and levels: denial, anger, sadness, bargaining, and acceptance and repeated them over and over again. We sustained each other every second of the day and night. The rosary, which my mother, my sister Noemy, brother in law Hector, Jorge and I had started praying together every night for 2 years, brought peace to our hearts. It was only through prayer that we could continue functioning.
Ana Carolina had moved with David to Miami 8 month’s prior. They became the fun-hard working roommates you could ever know. They worked hard, studied for their bachelor’s and worked out together. They both radiated joy and success.
It became obvious Ana Carolina was in denial with David’s injury. She insisted in continuing to pay for his car so that when he left the hospital everything would be exactly how he had left it and life would continue. It didn’t matter what anyone would say – she was determined on taking this responsibility for her brother - her roommate. When uncle Mayito came to see David at the hospital he spoke to her and his explanation gave her the courage to turn in the car. At this point, a little bit of David’s new reality started to sink in for her.
Now we had to help her move out of the Bungalow-hut she shared with David. Eddy, who was practically a newlywed, was living in South Beach Miami at the time and without notice, his life was about to change again. They would have to move to an apartment in Coral Gables and his sister would become their new roommate. Eddy and his wife graciously agreed. They understood! There were so many new adjustments to cope with and deep inside, I believe, we all thought all this would be temporary. We packed David’s belongings, cleaned the hut, moved Ana Carolina and Eddy out of their apartment and into the new one in 2 days. Their friend Country had come to visit and became the mover hero. It gave us peace to know Ana Carolina would not be living by herself.
In the meantime, Fernando was at home in Casselberry booking interviews with artists and traveling as if nothing had happened. He removed himself physically and emotionally.
My sister Gaby text me to call dad whose doctor was sending him to the hospital because his health was deteriorating rapidly. I pleaded dad to get stronger so that he could travel to Miami. I asked him to pray as much as he could for David. He assured me not to worry that everything would be OK.
It is not easy or simple to scratch your plans or leave your comfort zone or inconvenience yourself for the sake of others but that is what we call love. Love is not self-seeking; it always protects, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love bears all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13).
(Isaiah 40:31; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 73:26)
Through our new reality as a family, we experienced every emotion of anguish at different stages and levels: denial, anger, sadness, bargaining, and acceptance and repeated them over and over again. We sustained each other every second of the day and night. The rosary, which my mother, my sister Noemy, brother in law Hector, Jorge and I had started praying together every night for 2 years, brought peace to our hearts. It was only through prayer that we could continue functioning.
Ana Carolina had moved with David to Miami 8 month’s prior. They became the fun-hard working roommates you could ever know. They worked hard, studied for their bachelor’s and worked out together. They both radiated joy and success.
It became obvious Ana Carolina was in denial with David’s injury. She insisted in continuing to pay for his car so that when he left the hospital everything would be exactly how he had left it and life would continue. It didn’t matter what anyone would say – she was determined on taking this responsibility for her brother - her roommate. When uncle Mayito came to see David at the hospital he spoke to her and his explanation gave her the courage to turn in the car. At this point, a little bit of David’s new reality started to sink in for her.
Now we had to help her move out of the Bungalow-hut she shared with David. Eddy, who was practically a newlywed, was living in South Beach Miami at the time and without notice, his life was about to change again. They would have to move to an apartment in Coral Gables and his sister would become their new roommate. Eddy and his wife graciously agreed. They understood! There were so many new adjustments to cope with and deep inside, I believe, we all thought all this would be temporary. We packed David’s belongings, cleaned the hut, moved Ana Carolina and Eddy out of their apartment and into the new one in 2 days. Their friend Country had come to visit and became the mover hero. It gave us peace to know Ana Carolina would not be living by herself.
In the meantime, Fernando was at home in Casselberry booking interviews with artists and traveling as if nothing had happened. He removed himself physically and emotionally.
My sister Gaby text me to call dad whose doctor was sending him to the hospital because his health was deteriorating rapidly. I pleaded dad to get stronger so that he could travel to Miami. I asked him to pray as much as he could for David. He assured me not to worry that everything would be OK.
It is not easy or simple to scratch your plans or leave your comfort zone or inconvenience yourself for the sake of others but that is what we call love. Love is not self-seeking; it always protects, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love bears all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13).
(Isaiah 40:31; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 73:26)
