My Great Grandfather Santos Cardona was born in 1904. He is my father's father. He lived in a small town in Guanajuato, Mexico. He had 12 children with his wife Perfecta Alvarado. She did in the early 90s from a spider bite. They lived a very humble life, where they lived off growing crops and opening a small business. My great grandfather in which we call him "Mi Pa Santos", lived up to the age 106. He lived surrounded with his grandchildren, daughters, sons, daughter and son in laws. My dad's side of the family is very big and is expanding more and more. Mi Pa Santos' sons and daughters moved to different parts fo the United States and some stayed near by from his home. Mi Pa Santos got to live a very long life. He got to live through difficult periods of time that Mexico went through, such as Mexican Revolution to the major earthquakes that happened in Mexico City. He gave his children the opportunity to find a more better life style and to explore where they wanted to establish their families. The majority of his children live in California or Alabama. He had two daughters that lived in Mexico, in which were there in his last days. They helped him when he need the most help and alternated days to help him. At the age 100, they interviewed him to write a piece in a local newspaper in which they published it. They took pictures of him at his birthday celebration they did for him. I was lucky to be able to meet him and hear and see how he lived his life back then. He told us how hard it was not to grow up with his parents around.

– Ana Cardona

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant