SENIOR SERVICES
Community Spotlight
Jesus Almanza
Jesus and his little brother were raised by their grandmother. They loved watching Saturday morning cartoons, cooking shows and watching Grandma make a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, pancakes and sausage. When he was three, Jesus recalls a time when he and his brother did not want to wait until Grandma woke up to make breakfast. After watching her so many times, the boys decided they could do it themselves. Needless to say, breakfast was burnt and the house was filled with smoke. Awoken by the noise, their grandmother entered the kitchen and informed them that since they could not be patient and they could not waste food, they had to eat the breakfast they made. It was a lesson that brings a smile to Jesus to this day. When he was four, his mother married a good man and Jesus went to live with her and the man whom Jesus grew to consider a father. From him, Jesus learned the value of work. He had chores in the yard and around house and when he was old enough, Jesus went with his stepfather on weekends to clean landscape trucks. “He taught me a valuable lesson: I had to earn my money— nothing is free in life, you have to work for it,” said Jesus. “I didn’t always like him at the time, but 8
FALL 2022
looking back on it, I realize how lucky I was to have him as a stepfather. He accepted me as his own son and he taught me about life.” But it wasn’t all work and no play. Being from Guatemala, Jesus’ stepfather loved soccer and taught Jesus how to play. He loved it. “It was our favorite game to play at the park—me and my dad and my mom. Later I had siblings, we’d all go to park, said Jesus. As his grandmother aged, Jesus and his stepfather would regularly go to help with things she could no longer do. When his grandmother became ill, the family moved in to help provide care. Unfortunately, she passed away when Jesus was just 14. It hit him hard. Then another blow, his mother and stepfather divorced. It was then that Jesus entered a dark time in his life. He turned to alcohol, was constantly running away and in trouble. This lifestyle took a toll on him and Jesus developed type 2 diabetes at age 16. His struggles continued through young adulthood and his health further declined. He started dialy-
