his feelings bottled up for way too long. Not able to tell his family why he did the things he did and not able to recoup the lost years away from the people who he loved. In the Mexican-American community, you never show your sadness, your pain, or weakness. As an act of pride, you always keep all your emotions to yourself like as if nothing is wrong. Showing everyone that you're not suffering and everything is fine is strength.

I couldn't do that anymore; it was tearing me up from within. I felt that by writing my story, I was finally explaining and apologizing at the same time to my family for leaving so long ago and why I tend to stick to myself in the present. Writing my story has been a form of therapy for me, if you will, a way to release all those negative feelings that have been inside my head for some time now.

It feels like coming up out of the water and taking a big gulp of air after being under for so long, and I can breathe again now. My life has been harder than most but easier than a lot of people. I thank God for guiding me and protecting me through my journey. But I still wouldn't change any part of what happened back then because it wouldn't have brought me here. I have no regrets.