August 8, 2020
Author: Sylvia Gutierrez
Jaguar’s Birthday Memorial #8
‘A Hero’s Hero’
One of Jaguar’s heroes was his great grandpa Thomas Ortiz. Grandpa served in WWII in the Normandy Campaign, and was MIA and a POW in occupied German territory. Grandpa, along with other POWs, were liberated by the Russian army. He had been wounded in the foot and suffered from frostbite on his hands and feet. Jag had a deep love and profound respect for him. They shared a special bond from the time Jag was an infant to his high school years. Grandpa and Grandma Ortiz helped raise Jag and his siblings while Javier and I went to work, and also took care of them on their summer school breaks. When Jaguar left to the army, grandpa was already in a nursing home and could no longer speak. He was rarely expressive or mobile. Upon his return from boot camp, Jag visited his grandpa and grandma. Grandpa took one look at him in his uniform, pointed at him, and started to cry. Embracing him, Jag said proudly, “It’s my turn now grandpa.” Grandpa just continued to weep and hold on to him. Jaguar was able to visit his grandpa a few more times before he passed away. It was Jag’s way of reassuring him that he was still okay. The US flag draped over his coffin was eventually given to Jag by his grandmother. Despite their brief separation, Jaguar and grandpa are now resuming the close relationship they once had.
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