Page created by: Javier Grajeda

My father, José Grajeda, led a remarkable life. At age fifteen, he left his hometown in northern Mexico for the state’s capital, to pursue a high school education. He went on to study medicine, and specialized in vascular surgery. He devoted his life to helping others. Every year around Christmas, we’d receive baskets of food, fruit, and baked goods, sent by low-income patients whom he’d operated for free, 10 or 20+ years before. On two or three occasions, we ran into his old patients. After he’d introduce us, they’d tell me “Every other doctor said I’d lose my leg. But your father saved it. Because of him I still have both legs.” My father just smiled and immediately went into doctor mode, asking how well they were following the prescribed post-surgery care. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 25 years ago, which ultimately led to an early retirement. During the last year of his life, already very affected by the disease, he’d ask my mother to take him to a low-income nursing home he’d seen in the news. She’d tell him she would still take care of him and he responded “No, I’m not going there to stay. I’m simply going there to give the old timers medical attention”. He had a passion for helping others. He passed away in 2020, five days before his 65th birthday. We are left with the memories of a loving husband and father, and of his exemplary life of devotion to family and friends, humbleness, superb work-ethic, and selflessness.