WESLACO — Patricio Casarez and his family crossed the Rio Grande when he was a toddler for a chance at a better life in the United States.

They came to live in a one-room mobile home with just enough space for him and the rest of his family of seven.

Then the 19-year-old Weslaco High School graduate lost both his parents when they were killed by a drunk driver when he was in the second grade, and an aunt had to come in from Mexico to help raise him and his siblings.

“My life went out of control not knowing in which direction the compass pointed,” he said. “I was going around in circles hoping that I, too, would sleep forever and never wake up to confront the reality of the world.”

Just when he thought all hope was lost, he met Jeannie Silva, his third grade teacher, who helped get Patricio back on track.

In school, Patricio excelled. He maintained good grades, graduated in the top 10 of his class and earned college credit while still in high school. Now a student at the University of Texas at Austin, Patricio hopes to obtain an architecture degree by 2010 and return to the Rio Grande Valley.

Patricio is one of the real-life prime examples that the Jason Campos Foundation is a community-first organization, said foundation President San Juanita Campos. The Jason Campos Foundation was created in memory of her son, a star at athlete on the Weslaco High School football and baseball teams before he graduated in 1992.

Last year, the foundation created in Jason’s honor awarded more than $15,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors at Weslaco High School, where Jason graduated in 1992. Patricio was one of seven Weslaco High School graduates who received $1,000 to $2,500 in assistance last year.

This year, the foundation hopes to extend the scholarships to 14 schools in the Valley.

Jason was 29 and already an active community member in Weslaco working with colonia residents when he died unexpectedly of what appeared to be a heart attack in 2003. No autopsy was performed, but Jason had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat two years earlier and complained of chest pains and nausea in the days leading to his death.

He had graduated from Texas A & M University-Kingsville with a degree in agri-business in 2000 and used his professional training to work in Tampico, Tamps., Mexico, where he provided farming jobs for indigent families on land he helped cultivate. In his final months he was working with Texas National Bank.

Jason’s family describes him as a true giver.

“No one asked him to, no one told him to — it was just Jason,” said his brother, Jarrad Campos, who serves as the foundation’s director. “He had that giving attitude and was about making people happy.”

The foundation operates on four basic initiatives: Jason’s Wish, a Christmas drive for needy families across the Valley; Power Prep, a collaborative effort to assist students with free tutoring for SAT/ACT preparation; Jason’s SMILE, a leadership-for-life program designed to empower students to seek higher learning; and the scholarship program.

In order to finance the programs, the foundation holds three fundraisers throughout the year. The final fundraiser, the third annual Jason Campos Foundation Softball Tournament, is scheduled for April 1 and 2. Proceeds from the tournament go directly to the foundation.

At Christmastime, the foundation helped more than 150 families and gave away approximately 600 gifts. Families are asked to list three wishes.

Each year, Campos says she is touched by the simplicity of the requests. Some of the gifts include jackets, household appliances, cosmetics or toys for the children. Families are selected based on level of income and either sponsored individually or given a gift from the foundation.

“They’re not looking for something big or expensive. It could be a bicycle to get to work, or a blender,” said San Juanita Campos.

With Jason’s SMILE, which stands for Students’ Maximum Improvement through Leadership and Empowerment, San JuanitaCampos believes students get a taste of what higher education can offer.

Students are taken on field trips to universities across the state and attend seminars that focus on building self-esteem and polishing listening skills.

So far, San Juanita Campos sees what kind of impact is carried by reaching out to students and families in impoverished communities.

Most of all, she wants to keep the legacy of her late son alive. She is certain if Jason was living he would be actively involved in helping colonia residents.

“Your children that go before live through you,” she said. “This is what Jason would be doing.”

Source: themonitor.com

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