Electrician Student Strived for Balance Between Studies, Caring for Father
Pascual Rodriguez has always been busy working and trying to make a living but when his father was diagnosed with lymphoma, it really changed the way he viewed the world.
Pascual has always been close to his father. As he and his four siblings were growing up, his father was always working hard to provide for the family. He was always working on something.
When his father became ill, Pascual made the decision to move back home, to help care for him.
“I’m his favorite,” Pascual said, slyly. “I was living on the north side but when I got the phone call that my dad had cancer, I talked to the person I was staying with and told them I’ve got to get back to my dad and help and make sure he has everything and goes to his appointments. It was really hard for him for a while to even walk.”
While Pascual was content to be home with his father, his father encouraged him to aim for more. He encouraged him to go back to school and build a career he could be proud of. Pascual wanted a career that would help him take better care of his father. That’s when he heard about the Electrician Technician program at UEI College in Stockton. He signed up, but before he could even get started, his job threw a wrench in his plans.
Pascual was offered a supervisor position in Fresno, two hours away. With his dad’s approval, Pascaul decided to take the position and make the move. The staff at UEI helped him transfer to the campus there.
“I moved there and registered for school,” Pascual said. “I had only been there a few weeks when I got a call from my sister saying my dad was not doing well. He was not eating. He was missing me. He needed me. My company told me to go and be with my dad. So, I told my dad the Fresno job wasn’t working out and I moved back home.”
Moving back home meant transferring school once again, but Pascual said the UEI staff were always compassionate and helpful. Soon, he was starting classes, while also juggling all the medical care his dad required.
“When I moved back, my dad had lost a lot of weight,” he shared. “I made sure he eats, he took his pills, his chemotherapy. I was always with him. I even set up a bed right next to him so I can make sure he is OK. We do everything together. My dad is my life. He gave me everything. Now it’s my turn to give him everything.”
Part of that everything is a brighter future and a more stable career for himself. From the very beginning Pascual recognized that what he put into school was what he was going to get out of it. He committed himself to always doing his best. His dad has been the perfect motivator.
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“He gets up every day and lives life,” Pascual said. “He doesn’t stay in bed. He is always doing something. At 6 a.m. every morning we have coffee. From there he is outside doing something. If something breaks in my car, he’s out there helping me fix it. He is so driven to live. He keeps me going every day. When I see him doing what he is doing, I think I can do that. It means a lot to me.”
Since moving back home, his father’s health has improved drastically. He has gained back his weight and his cancer is in remission. At the age of 82, he is beating the odds.
The whole experience has caused Pascual to view life a little differently.
“This experience humbled me and showed me there is more to life than the material things,” he said. Just show up every day and do the best you can. You can always ask for help. Live your dream. To me, this is my dream. Anybody can do it, you just have to put the work into it.”
He graduated from the HVAC program while caring for his father – an achievement anyone would be proud of.
“Getting to know everyone and the environment was amazing,” he said. “When I was at UEI I feel like I was walking into ‘Cheers.’ Everyone there knows me. UEI has been there for me. From Fresno and back to Stockton. It’s like family.”
