Teresa Vivar

Stephanie R. Fajardo
Eng 211W-AT3RA
Prof. Henkle
February 19, 2009

Teresa Vivar
Teresa Vivar was born on October 19, 1919 in the country side of Ecuador. She was the first child of Teresa Maria Lopez and her father left her right after she was born. Family has told little Teresa that when her mother found out about her father’s fatal heart attack, also thought to be out of guilt of leaving his family, her mother wore red from head to toe for his funeral and even went as far as to go up to his open casket and spit at his cold face. Teresa still was fortunate enough to have a father when her mother remarried Cesar Vivar, who also adopted her. She never felt the need to express her father as her “adoptive father” for Cesar was the only father Teresa will ever know and love profoundly.
Teresa then went to Guayaquil, Ecuador at age 25 for more opportunities to work. She began working as a nurse at the Hospital of San Francisco de Assisi. Her first patient was a wounded wrestler, Martin Bolivar, who was still handsome regardless of his bruised face. She thought she would only take care of him till he recuperates, until they married 6 months later.
Teresa continued her profession at nursing until the age of 32, where she then became a mother to her first daughter, Flora Maria. Besides dedicating herself to her growing family, she learned the leather trade that her husband’s family owned. She would travel throughout the coast as well as the country side to sell merchandise and even import animal skin such as alligator. This went on until her fifth child, Mario Ruben which by that time she was 42 years old.
During the 1970’s, there was the big wave for South Americans to migrate to the United States. Teresa knowing that she and her husband have five children to support, they didn’t think twice to move to the United States for work. This came at a heavy price for she left her five children, all ages of 20, 19, 16, 14 and youngest 9. Although she knew she left them in proper care of their Tia Pastora, what mother can truly be at piece when leaving their own. She told her children this move was temporary, for when she and her husband made enough money they would come back to Ecuador. They did so, in 1979.
By that time her first daughter Flora Maria was an adult and married to Pedro Alcatraz in the United States. She yearned for her mother to come live with her and her growing family in New York. Teresa took up that offer for she wanted to meet her new grandchildren Pedro Jr. and Clara Teresa. What turned out to be a temporary trip came to be the rest of her life. Teresa raised her grandchildren with all of the time, love and care she had for them. In which that time, love and care would be reciprocated.
Teresa Vivar was age 82 when she finally succumbed to what she never knew she had. Flora Maria didn’t want to break Teresa’s spirit in informing her of her liver cancer, so she made sure that every day was filled with joy, love, and laughter. Those five years were fulfilling to Teresa to which she sometimes questioned. Her happiness alone was enough for Teresa and never questioned it again. She died on April 3, 2002 in her sleep, surrounded by her loving family.