Life Gives You Lemons, You Call Jose
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When life gives you lemons, call Jose and he makes you the sweetest, most delicious lemonade. Sure- they were your lemons to deal with, but Jose wouldn't want you dealing with those lemons alone. When you need help or a lift of your spirits, call Jose and he’ll be there for you. For more than two decades he’s been there for me and for other coworkers. Now it’s time to help him.
Jose has COVID-19 and is fighting for his life. He is tethered to a ventilator and his chances for recovery do not look good.
It seems so unfair. Jose, the one who brings smiles to everyone around him, the one who extends a helping hand to anyone who needs it, the one who least deserves a life-threatening condition, has been dealt a cruel hand.
I have known Jose for 24 years, working closely with him for the same company the entire time. We’ve grown older together and we’ve grown closer over the years. We’ve shared the good times — the birth of children in our families, graduations, holidays, celebrations. And we have shared trying times — accidents, the loss of loved ones, financial problems, and work stress when there seemed to be too much to do and not enough time to do it.
Through the ups and downs Jose has been a constant. If you meet him, and I hope you do when he recovers, you will see his infectious smile, his positive demeanor, his openness, and his generosity. Jose gives time to everyone.
He is so dedicated to his team that he comes to work early each day and leaves late. He will come to work on many of his off days to help out when things are busier than expected. He is not just a hard and dedicated worker, but a friend and mentor to us. We love him dearly.
Jose does not know the word NO. He would give you his last penny with a smile, then ask if you need anything else. He is one of a kind, humanity in action. Now, his family, friends and coworkers need him more than ever.
As tragic as things are for Jose, there are other challenges. Not only is he battling COVID-19, but six out of seven members of his multi-generational family have also tested positive.
It all started four weeks ago. Jose’s wife was exposed to the virus through a coworker. She tested positive and self-quarantined away from her family through accommodations provided by her employer. Jose and his children tested negative at the time and self-quarantined at their home.
A few days later, Jose developed symptoms, was retested, and declared positive. His symptoms were so severe that he was admitted to the hospital a couple of days later. His condition has continued to worsen, necessitating a ventilator to help him breathe, and most recently completed an ECMO. (Known as extracorporeal life support, is an extracorporeal technique of providing prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to persons whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange or perfusion to sustain life.) After ECMO procedure, Jose was transferred to UCSD where he remains sedated and monitored for oxygen levels.
Since then, his parents and two of his three children have also tested positive. Jose took in his parents a few months ago to help his mom recuperate from a serious medical condition. His mom’s symptoms are mild and she is still at home. His dad, however, is struggling and has been admitted to the intensive care unit at the same hospital where Jose began his treatment. He is doing slightly better than Jose.
Jose’s wife has fully recovered and their two daughters are recovering from mild symptoms.
As you can imagine, Jose’s wife is facing multiple difficulties as she works to help the sick in her household while worrying about her hospitalized husband and father-in-law.
I, and everyone who knows Jose, hopes that God will be kind to Jose and his family.
Of course bills keep coming to the family in the midst of their distress. Jose’s family still needs to eat, pay rent, and plan for the future. His family is facing incomprehensible hardship, emotional anguish, and what will likely be a long recovery period for Jose and his father.
With no meaningful income to help them stay afloat, I am asking you to support Jose and his family in any way that you can.
Pray for Jose and his family. Send positive thoughts. And if you can, please make a small donation to Jose, a hard worker who has given so much to so many.
Thank you. May God bless you and your family.
(Author is not the fundraiser account manager, but a dear friend of Jose's that wanted to put to words what many of us believe about Jose- this is a special note to say thank you to him).
Jose has COVID-19 and is fighting for his life. He is tethered to a ventilator and his chances for recovery do not look good.
It seems so unfair. Jose, the one who brings smiles to everyone around him, the one who extends a helping hand to anyone who needs it, the one who least deserves a life-threatening condition, has been dealt a cruel hand.
I have known Jose for 24 years, working closely with him for the same company the entire time. We’ve grown older together and we’ve grown closer over the years. We’ve shared the good times — the birth of children in our families, graduations, holidays, celebrations. And we have shared trying times — accidents, the loss of loved ones, financial problems, and work stress when there seemed to be too much to do and not enough time to do it.
Through the ups and downs Jose has been a constant. If you meet him, and I hope you do when he recovers, you will see his infectious smile, his positive demeanor, his openness, and his generosity. Jose gives time to everyone.
He is so dedicated to his team that he comes to work early each day and leaves late. He will come to work on many of his off days to help out when things are busier than expected. He is not just a hard and dedicated worker, but a friend and mentor to us. We love him dearly.
Jose does not know the word NO. He would give you his last penny with a smile, then ask if you need anything else. He is one of a kind, humanity in action. Now, his family, friends and coworkers need him more than ever.
As tragic as things are for Jose, there are other challenges. Not only is he battling COVID-19, but six out of seven members of his multi-generational family have also tested positive.
It all started four weeks ago. Jose’s wife was exposed to the virus through a coworker. She tested positive and self-quarantined away from her family through accommodations provided by her employer. Jose and his children tested negative at the time and self-quarantined at their home.
A few days later, Jose developed symptoms, was retested, and declared positive. His symptoms were so severe that he was admitted to the hospital a couple of days later. His condition has continued to worsen, necessitating a ventilator to help him breathe, and most recently completed an ECMO. (Known as extracorporeal life support, is an extracorporeal technique of providing prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to persons whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange or perfusion to sustain life.) After ECMO procedure, Jose was transferred to UCSD where he remains sedated and monitored for oxygen levels.
Since then, his parents and two of his three children have also tested positive. Jose took in his parents a few months ago to help his mom recuperate from a serious medical condition. His mom’s symptoms are mild and she is still at home. His dad, however, is struggling and has been admitted to the intensive care unit at the same hospital where Jose began his treatment. He is doing slightly better than Jose.
Jose’s wife has fully recovered and their two daughters are recovering from mild symptoms.
As you can imagine, Jose’s wife is facing multiple difficulties as she works to help the sick in her household while worrying about her hospitalized husband and father-in-law.
I, and everyone who knows Jose, hopes that God will be kind to Jose and his family.
Of course bills keep coming to the family in the midst of their distress. Jose’s family still needs to eat, pay rent, and plan for the future. His family is facing incomprehensible hardship, emotional anguish, and what will likely be a long recovery period for Jose and his father.
With no meaningful income to help them stay afloat, I am asking you to support Jose and his family in any way that you can.
Pray for Jose and his family. Send positive thoughts. And if you can, please make a small donation to Jose, a hard worker who has given so much to so many.
Thank you. May God bless you and your family.
(Author is not the fundraiser account manager, but a dear friend of Jose's that wanted to put to words what many of us believe about Jose- this is a special note to say thank you to him).
Co-organizers (5)
Stephen Zeeb
Organizer
Ramona, CA
Jose Velica
Beneficiary
Adolfina Mendoza
Co-organizer
Roya Taheri
Co-organizer
Mike Brooks
Co-organizer
Gina Moore
Co-organizer