Deepa BharathSusana Hernandez never dreamed that a...

Deepa Bharath

Susana Hernandez never dreamed that a trip to her native Mexico to

visit her family would split her world in two.

Hernandez traveled from Costa Mesa to Cuatla Moreles, about an

hour and a half from Mexico City, with her husband, Arturo, daughter

Marcela and son Luis during Christmas vacation. The couple hoped it

would be a pleasant holiday to make up for a life of hard work and

monotony.

But that was not to be. Arturo, a diabetic for two years, suffered

from a serious attack that made his blood sugar soar, Susana said.

His blood pressure shot up and he had difficulty breathing. On New

Year’s Day, his condition worsened, and he was hospitalized, she

said.

“His body began to shake, and he asked me to hold his hand,”

Susana said, choking up.

Then, he slipped into a diabetic coma. As if that wasn’t enough to

shake the family by its roots, Susana is facing another challenge --

bringing her husband back home.

“He can’t just take any flight,” she said. “He needs to fly in a

plane with a doctor.”

Susana has worked for Paine Du Monde, a Newport Beach bakery, for

more than 14 years. But, as her husband remains in a deep sleep in

Mexico City, Susana plays mom and breadwinner in Costa Mesa.

“What can I do?” she asks. “I need the money. I need to pay the

hospital in Mexico. I have no insurance there. I need to pay for a

nurse to watch him 24 hours a day because I can’t be there by his

side.”

The U.S. embassy in Mexico City cannot help her because they will

transport only U.S. citizens who are ill. Susana and Arturo have a

green card and are permanent residents, but not citizens.

Susana needs to stay in Newport-Mesa. She lives and works here.

Her son and daughter attend Newport Harbor High School. This is home.

Susana needs a doctor to fly to Mexico and bring back Arturo.

“How am I going to do it? I don’t know,” Susana said.

Her friends and colleagues at the bakery are rallying around her

and trying to raise money to accomplish what seems to be an awesome

task.

Kathy Stefano, who worked with Susana at the bakery last summer,

said Susana touched many people with her kind words and noble deeds.

“She is an extremely loyal and hard-working employee,” she said.

“The response to her situation has been tremendous. A lot of people

have come forward to help.”

Susana mentioned that a Costa Mesa Realtor, a regular customer to

the coffee shop, donated $500.

“I’m really thankful that so many people from the community

actually care about me and my family,” she said.

Luis will visit his father during the upcoming holidays, Susana

said.

“He tells me he really misses his dad,” she said. “He says he took

daddy for granted when he was here. But now he wants to talk to him.

He may be in a coma. But he can listen to his son.”

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.