Low Rider

I was born in Mexico and lived with my family until I was about 14 when I left home and moved to San Diego where I lived with my aunt and spent time with a brother who also lived there.  After 3 years I became independent at the age of 17. 

I began working in a body shop painting cars.  I really love cars, especially low riders.  Cars that “dance” are so cool.  Also I love the older cars because they are so solid.  New cars today are only plastic and don’t last like the old ones.

After 7 years in San Diego, I moved to San Francisco where I continued following my passion, which was working with cars.  I did this for about a year.  One evening, as I was going home from work after a long day and having worked overtime, I was involved in a car accident.  When next I awoke, it was from a coma and I was in the hospital.  I couldn’t move anything but my arms and have no idea how long I was in the coma.  I had many operations on my neck, but instead of helping, I lost the movement of my right arm. Now I make do with my left arm only.

I am now 35 and have spent the last 13 years here in Laguna Honda Hospital.  This is my home and even though I have 2 brothers in Hayward who visit, the staff here feels like my family.  They have been very good to me and are good at their work.

I have a strong belief in God that keeps me going and take my life one day at a time.  I really enjoy doing art and have even sold some of my artwork that I have done.  I am working on getting my GED and wish to learn how to use the computer so that I can take more classes after I get my GED.  I would also like to speak to people about my 2 lives, the one I lived before my accident and the life I live now.