My father, Manuel Juarez, arrived to the US from El Salvador in the 1970’s. He worked minimum wage jobs to help support our family. He needed his eldest and youngest daughter to translate for him. But that never stopped him from reaching his goals. He bought his first home in 2009. He became a naturalized citizen in 2019. He built a garden and loved to show off his fruits and vegetables.

His journey was not easy. His journey ended when he COVID took him away from his family on April 29, 2021. He is my father. He is a grandfather. He is a husband. He will always be in our hearts.