Abuelo Jose
Jose Silerio Morales was born and raised in Durango, Mexico. As a boy, he went to school during the day and worked in the afternoons caring for a flock of goats. He remembers the smell vividly. He shared that no matter how many times he bathed in the nearby river he could not get the smell off of him. His classmates teased him, they called him 'Goat boy'.
As a young man he dreamed of a better life for himself, one he believed was available in the United States. He found his way across the Texas border and got a job picking cherries. It wasn't long before his illegal status was discovered and he was deported to Tijuana. He didn't like the area but also didn't want to go back to Durango. He traveled south a little ways and settled in Ensenada.
Jose worked on a ranch caring for the land and the animals until he was no longer able. He never married, never had children. Instead he dedicated his life to working, always trying to get more money. Something he considers a waste now. As he reflects back on his life, he said, “People think that money buys happiness but it doesn't. Be a good person, help others. That's what's important.”
Jose came to Casa del Abuelo in April 2018. Before coming here, he suffered a stroke that left him with limited use of one side of his body. He can walk slowly, feed and dress himself, and he exercises every morning in hopes of improving his mobility on his bad side. His favorite pastime is listening to the bible on audio books and talking with the other Abuelos.
Adopt an Abuelo
Casa del Abuelo cares for more than 20 abuelos at a time. They operate entirely on donations to cover expenses for water, propane, gas, food, transportation, and medicine. For $50 a month you can help provide these essential items for an abuelo.
