Mi Mamá

My mother is a sweet, shy, strong and creative person. She moved to the US from Mexico in the late sixties and raised 6 kids with my father whom she was married to for 49 years. This past year has been extremely difficult for the whole family but especially for my mother. My father passed away last March from colon cancer. He was an amazing person but he was also an uber macho Mexican who refused to see the doctor unless there was absolutely no tolerating the pain. So when he finally saw the doctor, he had already advanced to stage 4 cancer, terminal.

For better and for worse, my father was her life. She met him when she was 14 years old and had been with him until his last breath, literally. How does one even try to bounce back from something like that? It has been tough. For many months all she wanted to do was sleep and not get out of bed. My brothers and sisters and I would call and come visit to try to fill the void that my father’s big personality, strength and laughter left. And little by little, day by day, with the help of prayer, support from my family and time, she’s been coming out of the fog. Each one of us has been trying to give her new experiences and help her step into her own.

Well, back in January, when I went to LA for my birthday, my brother Gonzalo and I decided to play with his studio lighting – it was my first time playing with that kind of setup. We asked my mother to be the model and she actually went for it. She surprised us both by coming to the shoot with multiple changes of clothing and fun accessories. She had a lot of fun being the ‘star’ for the day. And my brother and I were so happy to be able to give her a new experience and get her mind off of all the heavy emotions and thoughts she usually has to deal with.

She is a true inspiration for me and my family. She’s been through so many trials and tribulations, so many heartbreaks and woes… but she’s still here and with us and taking it one day at a time. For me she exemplifies the word ‘resilience’ and I really appreciate and love her. So on Mothers’ Day, I’m making this post for my lovely mother. May she continue her new journey and find out who the real Maria Del Carmen Sandoval really is and has become. Feliz Dia De Las Madres!