Growing up in Jamaica, family was so important. If you did not have family, you had no one. My family was always there for me. My parents had my back no matter what the circumstances were. I remember when I was 10 years old, I lost my mother. It was one of the worst experiences of my life because she was the heart of my family and she meant everything to me. My mother, father and 2 brothers were my family and when my mother died that family unit was thrown into chaos. When I lost my mom, things were rough. To bring some sort of normalcy and comfort to me, the following year my dad bought me a bike. The object in my story is a bike that my dad gave to me when I was 11 years old. The bike meant a lot to me because that was the last most meaningful thing that my dad gave to me when I lived with him and in a way it symbolized that family unit I loved so much. Later on, that family unit also fell apart and I moved to the United States to live with my Aunt. I wish I could have taken that bike with me but it was not possible. Family is still important but the truth is I often fantasize about what it would have been like to immigrate to the United States with my mom and dad. That is a dream that I know will never happen but memories like the bike and others before my mom’s death is what I have brought here with me and can share as my personal immigration story.      

– Alando S.

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child