Help Chef Alex Care for His Beloved Mother

My name is Nathan Kim. I am organizing this GoFundMe on behalf of Alexander Martinez & his mother Mary Martinez. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chef Al since we opened the doors at Obelix nearly 3 years ago. During this time, I found out that Alex had been taking care of his mother, Mary Martinez, who is currently suffering from stage 6 dementia. Al moved back from a 14-year career as a chef in NYC to be close to home and his mother.

I first want to speak on behalf of the person I’ve gotten to know over the last 3 years. Al is one of the best people I’ve ever met in the restaurant industry. His passion and kindness, his genuine heart for hospitality, have been such a huge reason behind the success of our sister restaurants, starting with Taqueria Chingon, Mariscos San Pedro, and Obelix, which we opened together.

As Al carries the full financial burden of taking care of his mother, I know firsthand the stress and toll it has taken on him personally. I am organizing this GoFundMe to cover the cost of his mother's caregiver, her medical costs, cost of housing, and all other needs. We are currently in the process of seeking out financial aid from the state of Illinois, but it is a long and arduous process. The funds raised will 100% go directly to caring for his mother's needs, paying the mounting medical bills, and also provide his mother a full-time caregiver while Alex balances his full-time job as a chef.

No one should carry this burden alone. I am calling out to our friends in the industry and beyond to help out, whether that is through a financial donation or spreading the word. We’ve all been through hard times and sometimes you don’t see a solution or way out. I hope that through the funds we raise we can help take some of the burden and weight off our friend Al’s shoulders. To those of you who may come across this, I thank for your time and consideration in helping out our friend.❤️