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HONOLULU, Hawaii -- The first Puerto Ricans arrived in Hawaii in 1900 because the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association (HSPA) was looking for experienced workers for their plantations.
In August of 1899, San Ciriaco, a huge hurricane, punished Puerto Rico for two days with winds of 110mph – 150mph. It left the island completely devastated and most of its agricultural workers suddenly unemployed.
When the HSPA found out about the hurricane, they started recruiting workers in Puerto Rico. As a result, between 1900 and 1901, the HSPA brought 5,000 Puerto Ricans workers to Hawaii. We call the descendants of these early Puerto Ricans “local Ricans” – Puerto Ricans born in Hawaii.
Reina, Angel and Calmita Santiago.
The oldest Hispanic organization in Hawaii – whose parent organizations date back to the early 1920s – is the United Puerto Rican Association of Hawaii (UPRAH). Puerto Rican plantation workers started the parent organization because the families were so poor when someone died there was no money for a burial. So the families started what was -- essentially -- an insurance company. On paydays, those that could put money in a pot. Then when somebody died, they used the money to give the person a decent burial.
UPRAH’s president for the last 10 years has been Angel Santiago-Cruz, a native of Puerto Rico. Angel arrived in Hawaii in 1976 and met his lovely “local Rican” bride-to-be Calmita in Ayala’s. Angel told us: “Back in the day Ayala’s in Kalihi was the most popular local Puerto Rican music (“kachi-kachi”) dance hall." Theirs was a match made in Heaven. This year the couple celebrates 30 years of marriage and their union blessed them with Reina, their beautiful daughter.
Calmita Santiago is a tiny, feisty little thing, whose father was a well-known boxer and political activist in the local Puerto Rican community. She says she developed her passion for community activism and sense of fair play from him.
However, in the last few years, the tiny lady’s heart was starting to falter and it just was not strong enough to carry even her little frame efficiently. Finally, it got so weak that physicians informed the family Calmita would need a heart transplant to survive.
Angel stayed home six months from his City & County job to care for her in her daily struggles while the family anxiously awaited their turn on the transplant list.
Fortunately, she was in the extremely capable hands of world-renown heart surgeon Dr. Carlos Moreno-Cabral – a native of Juan Aldama, Zacatecas, Mexico -- and father of local Salsa DJ Rod Moreno. According to Rod, Dr. Moreno is the only heart transplant surgeon in Hawaii and Dr. Moreno’s brother Ricardo – also a heart surgeon -- performed the first heart transplant in Hawaii in the early 80s.
We checked in with Angel in early March and he had great news – Calmita was number one on the heart transplant list! We checked a few days later and he had even better news. They got “the call” early the day before. Dr. Moreno led the surgical team. They started at 5 am, worked until the late afternoon and the operation appeared to have been a success.
Calmita -- the little Puerto Rican activist whose life was extended by an excellent Mexican heart surgeon -- was then resting peacefully in St. Francis Hospital where she would stay for a few weeks.
While still in the Intensive Care Unit, she was responding to the surgery and actually able to walk around a bit. Angel said it was impossible for him and Reina to hold back their tears of joy.
They asked us to express their tremendous feelings of gratitude to the multitude of family, friends and co-workers whose constant support, encouragement and prayers helped sustain the family through their darkest hours.
Then Angel told us this was not the first time Dr. Moreno had saved Calmita’s life. Ten years ago, another surgeon had performed a bypass operation on her. During the surgery, her EKG “flat-lined” (clinically dead). She was resuscitated and “flat-lined” a second time. At that critical juncture, Dr. Moreno, who had just finished in another operating room, was called in and -- under his skillful hands -- Calmita was brought back to life…this time for good.
Angel told us: “My name is Angel. She is my bride and I have the honor of being her husband. However, our family’s reality is that Dr. Moreno is also her angel – her 'Guardian Angel.' He has saved her life twice. We thank God for him every day…every day."
(Editor’s note: Calmita Santiago-Cruz passed away on October 3, 2008. Our community will miss her greatly.)
Comments (1)
Remembering Calmita was a joy in my mind. I had the pleasure of meeting Calimata at Frist Hawaiian Bank in June of 1973. It is through this tiny but gracious woman that I had the pleasure of meeting her entire family. Judy,Tony, Calmita and Adolf Samuels a family that represented the Puerto Rican Culture with great pride. I have many memories of this fine family and I thank God for allowing me the honor of knowing each and everyone of them. I lost my favorite in the family Judy Lolita Samuels-Mello seventeen years ago and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and how loving of a fine woman she was. Calmita, I will always think of her laugh and smile that cheered everyone in the room when she came in. It seems such a shame that she left all of us who loved her unconditionally so soon in our lives. I'm certain that she is with Judy and the rest of her Ohana in Heaven laughing away and catching up on old times. For the rest of us, here, we will have our memories about a very special woman who gave so much of her life, love and time to everyone and never asked for anything in return. May God bless her and keep her safe always.
Posted by A. L. AhYo | 17 de Octubre 2008 a las 02:38 AM
Posted on 17 de Octubre 2008 02:38