My family story is one of the American dream. The oldest member of my family would have been Emilio Corral Montiel (My Grandfather). My Grandfather was a great man.
He decided that living an everyday life on a ranch in Mexico with 13 other people would not be fulfilling. He wanted more out of life. When he met my Grandmother Lydia Gonzalez-Montiel he convinced her to come to America.
My Grandfather led an incredible life. He became a civil engineer with a third grade education. He loved being in construction. What got my Grandfather out of bed was his job. He loved driving bulldozers, working the power drill, mechanical work and anything you could picture a civil engineer doing.
With my Grandfather’s hard work paying off, he got the opportunity to lay down the railroad tracks that you see run all throughout Disneyland. It was his greatest triumph. Emilio Corral Montiel through his strength made a life for himself here in America, built a great career, a marriage that lasted 50-plus years, a beautiful family, and bought the cars he had always dreamed of having.
Everyone has heard behind a great man is a great woman, well my Grandmother Lydia Gonzalez-Montiel is that woman. My Grandmother took a big leap of faith following my Grandfather to America. She loved him with all her heart but was not sure if this was the best choice.
She was hesitant about leaving her family behind but after a little convincing, she agreed to my Grandfather’s proposal. While my Grandfather worked, my Grandmother kept the house clean and raised three boys: my father Jorge Montiel Sr., and my Uncles Emilio and Cesar Montiel. My Grandfather stepped in when his sons misbehaved; he whipped them into shape and then would hit the road again.
My grandmother worked her fingers to the bone to raise her three children. She is very family oriented, she had a hard time letting my Dad go to college when it was his time but she saddled up and let my Dad do his thing.
She set a precedent, as difficult as it was for her she let her children chase their dreams. She created the blueprint for my Dad to do the same thing with his children. Hence the reason I am here.
My Grandmother has been an integral part of passing down Mexican culture to my sister and me. Constantly speaking Spanish to us, playing loteria, and showing us how to make proper tacos.
The most important thing she had a huge hand in passing down to future generations is, the guts and the willingness to chase our dreams. Since I was young she has always told me to go after what I want and that God would provide.
My mentality in regards to my faith and having confidence in my ability is in part to her cheering me on. Her faith in me and the rest of the family has motivated all of us to dream big and chase those dreams.
Without my Grandmother my family wouldn’t be in America. If it weren’t for examples like my Grandmother who showed us what is possible I wouldn’t know that I could do what I want to do.
The way I see it, is if my grandparents can leave their home country with a limited education and build a beautiful life for themselves I can be what I want to be in this life with the resources at my disposal.
They drilled that into me from a young age. My Grandmother, now the oldest living wishes to impart that message to all of her nephews and nieces.
Echale ganas! Which means give it everything you’ve got. She would preach the value of hardwork amnd Faith in God constantly.
While my Grandmother is partially responsible for instilling the confidence and the guts to chase dreams she also taught me a different lesson. A painful lesson, and that is how to take a loss.
When my Grandfather died just a couple months back, I didn’t know how to process it. It was the first time I had lost someone close to me.
Seeing my Grandmother grieve for the death of her husband but the have the strength to carry on was a big deal for me. Through her strength and guidance I was able to navigate through my grandfathers death and stay strong.
My grandparents fought hard for they got in a lot harsher circumstances. They are the reason why I take pride in my life.
I wake up everyday trying to make my family proud and build a legacy for myself and make my family proud.
I can honestly say if my grandparents didn’t take pride in the way they lived their lives I don’t think I would either.
