Oscar Chico
“Having my sister over the phone telling me that I am now the uncle of her first baby daughter is something that makes me smile and very happy, but having my mom telling me that she is only waiting for me to go see her at least once more, that she feels very tired and has only a few months left, is something that breaks my heart.”
Oscar with his mother over 5 years ago, before she returned to Mexico City - he has not seen his mother or his brother or sister since.
Oscar's mother and new baby niece in Mexico City -- Oscar's mother was recently diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and is not faring well.
Nominating Organization: Make the Road New York
My name is Oscar Chico and I am 23 years old. I am originally from Mexico City where I lived until I was 15 years old turning 16. While growing up I had dreams and goals, but leaving my birth country behind, having to adapt to a whole new culture and twisting my identity were never on my checklist. My mom brought my brother and I to New York City about 9 years ago - it was a long and very dangerous journey. After 4 years of living in New York, my mom and my brother went back to México, leaving me behind with my dad. Since then, I haven’t seen them. Its been 9 years without going back to my roots, my culture, or at least being able to hug my sister (who, by the way, made me uncle a few months ago). Being able to go back to my birth country and at the same time being able to come back to my new home country, New York, is the accomplishment of a great dream.
Everyday I get news from my sister, brother and my mom - sometimes it is good, sometimes it is not so good and sometimes it is horrible. Having my sister over the phone telling me that I am now the uncle of her first baby daughter is something that makes me smile and very happy, but having my mom telling me that she is only waiting for me to go see her at least once more, that she feels very tired and has only a few months left, is something that breaks my heart. My mom is 53 years old, she took care of my two siblings and I since we were born, and recently she was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 and me not being able to take care of her like she did with me is killing me.
Since I graduated college, I’ve been struggling with finding a job because of my immigration status and not being able to keep a stable job makes it a lot harder for me to get the income necessary to fly back to México and see and hug my mom, pay my rent, and support myself. Thank god, only a few weeks ago, I became a permanent resident of the United States, which made me very happy and raised my mom’s and my hope to see each other soon.
Having the necessary documentation to go back to my birth country and come back to my home country doesn’t make it any easier. I, luckily, just found a job that gives me enough money to pay for my rent, transportation and barely for my food. Unfortunately, paying for a plane ticket is not something I can afford - thank you so much for your support.
HELLO VUELO IS RAISING $600 FOR A ROUND TRIP FLIGHT FOR OSCAR TO GO TO MEXICO CITY!