By Justin Lopez
It took me a while to realize this, but a hero isn’t someone who saves the world or beats up the bad guys or who can fly. It’s someone who works for his family and puts his family of 13 kids first. I’m talking about my Great- Grandfather Nicanor Lopez. He was the youngest of 6 kids. He was born in Mexico. His father was shot when he was about 12. He was the only one in his family to come to the United States. He came here because he heard you could make a lot of money. He made little, but he did make a big family of 13 kids, with 7 boys and 6 girls. They are my great aunts and uncles and my grandpa Felipe Lopez.
He was a farmer and worked all day and night. They lived and were raised in Three Rivers, Texas, near Corpus Christi. After working they ate and went to sleep. My point is, he worked his pants off for 13 kids and his wife. He never ever put family second or third. It was always first.
In 1992, my great-grandmother Yrene Lopez passed away. My great grandfather felt so bad that day, but he started to feel better later on because he still had the rest of his family. He didn’t speak good English so we never had many conversations, but I still loved him. On July 4, 1997, he went to the hospital with cancer and was not doing well at all. He got a little better, but doctors said it might be only a few months until he passes away.
This summer we went on vacation and visited family. One of our last stops was Three River, Texas. My great-grandfather was looking real good and felt better. A few days later, when we left Three Rivers, we said our goodbyes to our great aunts and then to him. We took pictures with him and I will never forget his last words to me. Even if it means nothing to you it means a lot to me. He said, "Your going back to Florida". I said, "Yes" and he said, "Bye Bye". Two weeks later he went back to the hospital and died Sunday, August 31, 1997. At his funeral, I saw him in the casket and it was so hard seeing him lying there and I cried and reached down and touched him. He was almost 94.
In Memory of
Nicanor Lopez
Jan 7 1904-Aug 31, 1997
