Athina M.

Reyes
October 18, 2019

I Died
August 10th, 2012 was the day I’ll never forget. It was a very windy day no one was allowed to
go outside due to valley fever. I was 11 when I died. My dad went out to get some food. It wouldn't be
the first time he took forever. Hours passed by and still no answer from my dad. I was wondering where
could he be.
I was outside with my mom who was cleaning my grandma’s garden. I asked

“Have you spoke to dad? He left this morning with Doug”

“No I haven't spoken to him since this morning” my mom said

My mom stared blank into the ground for a while. I kept saying “Mom..... mom… and then
finally I yelled MOM!!” She jumped up, dropped everything and ran inside to call my grandma.

“Hola suegra buenas tardes, Esta David contigo o lo has visto??” My mom asked

“ Si mija, vino a recoger dinero para los niños. Porque? No ha llegado ? My grandma replied

“Es que no ha llamado y Athina dijo que se había ido desde la mañana y ha habido checkpoints de
la migra” My mom told her

“Voy a hacer una llamada” my grandma said

The phone hung up. It seemed like everything went quiet. I felt like I was in a horror movie. My
mom walked away with her head up so I wouldn’t see her tear up. She went to her room and prayed. I
went to go see if she was okay. My mom turned white. I was getting worried. I started thinking the worst,
where could my dad be?

Finally, my grandma called back she said ICE agents arrested my dad. They deported him a week
later. My mom sat all of us down and said four words that killed me inside “We’re moving to Tijuana.”
At that time I broke down. My mom told me we’d move to Tijuana after my middle school graduation.
We moved and I ended up not going to school for most of my freshman year of high school. My
sophomore year I started attending Monarch, where I earned my freshman credits.