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Birth
On May 25, 2004, I was born my parent’s first and only child at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida. My parents, Holly and Eric Delgado, brought me home to live in your typical American suburban house which I would live all me remedial years in. Before my aunt would move in with us in 2007, I had a few babysitters, specifically Annette, who gave me the nickname “Bear” which my family still uses today. -
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Infancy
The goal of infancy is to establish trust in the world. This was accomplished, as I grew up in a loving household with two caring and kind parents. -
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0-5
As a toddler, I primarily spent my time in the care of others as both my parents worked. I would often play outside, as I lived on a cul-de-sac with many other kids. When I turned one, I spent almost everyday at Childlife Pre-school, where I stayed even throughout kindergarten as an aftercare. At home, I would play with my stuffed animal which I hauled around everywhere, an elephant named Ernie and a bear named Teddy B. I would mill about the house, messing with and feeding our cat, KC. -
Baptism
I was baptized at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Toledo, OH. My parents decided my baptism should be in Ohio so all my family and parents’ friends could see me be baptized. My godparents were my father’s college roommate/best friend and his wife, Kyle and Beth Woods. -
First Day at Childlife
My daycare from the ages of 1-6, Childlife, was the place I learned to interact with kids and play. According to my teachers, my favorite activities were coloring and story time. To this day, I vividly remember both the good and bad aspects of Childlife. The field and playground are staples in these memories to this day. -
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Early Childhood
The goal of this stage is to learn they have control over their skills and some level of independence, especially through potty-training. This was accomplished for me, but later than average. It may have affected my confidence in independence, especially in my adolescence. -
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Preschool
This goal of this stage is to explore and exert some type of control over it. I accomplished this quite well as a child, quickly understanding my actions can cause my environment to change by making friends and doing activities in preschool. -
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5-10
This is where my real memories begin and my life starts to take direction. I began to play sports, such as soccer and T-Ball. When I began going to school, I went to Citrus Park Elementary School. As a young child, I was very talkative and often annoyed my fellow classmates or got in trouble because of it. I began watching Spongebob Squarepants at this age, which I watched non-stop for years. I even met some of my best friends to this day at an aftercare I went to called Bradstreet. -
First Day of Kindergarten
I went to my first day at Citrus Park like any other day I would at Childlife. Some of my old friends from Childlife were even in that class, but that didn’t stop me from making new friends, such as Tyler and Mikey. I distinctly remember buying trading silly bands, hoping to get the rare monkey bands one day. -
Getting my First DS
Growing up, I always used to play our Wii and watch my dad and his friends play. When I got my DS on Christmas, I was surprised and excited. I got two games, Lego Star Wars and New Super Mario Bros. This was when I began gaming regularly with my own console. -
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School Age
The goal of this stage is to adjust to social and academic demands. I feel I succeeded yet failed in this task because I excelled in school and had friends yet always felt inferior. -
First Day at Bradstreet
This was my first day at my favorite daycare I went to. Here, I learned all about sports, studied, and learned karate. Most importantly, I met my friends who I consider to be my best friends here. If it wasn’t for them, I would be far from who I am today. -
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10-20
From this stage on, I have a clearer view of who I can and who I want to be. At this point, I had established friendships and relationships of my own and begin to question everything. At this point, my experience and knowledge is much smaller than I think it is. I often made rash and arrogant decisions, trying to find someone to blame for my failures. Although I went through a depression at around 16, I bounced out of it, taking my old perspective and new knowledge and applying it to my success. -
My Second Dog
In first grade, we got a dog named Leelee, who taught me what a dog was but largely didn’t affect my development. However, when we got Jake, I truly learned the values of loyalty and what a dog should be. Jake followed me around everywhere in the house and would always celebrate by howling when I got home. If it wasn’t for him gravitating toward me, my parents would most likely have given him away because of his unruly nature. -
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Adolescence
The goal of this stage is to develop a sense of identity and self by trying new things. I feel I have failed in this stage (as of now) because I don’t have any idea who I am. -
KC Dies
This is my first time experiencing loss. KC, as a cranky and crazy cat, would always hiss at and harass everyone except us. To us, he was exactly what you expect a cat to be, lazy yet social and loving. When he died, I spent the whole day crying and missing him. After that day passed, I looked at him like a happy memory, realized that I had to move on. -
First Day of High School
I entered high school as a short ginger kid who didn’t know where he belonged or who he was. I joined the crew team and met many new friends, introducing me to more people and constructing my friend circle. As high school progressed, I focused on building a stronger friendship with my true friends and drifting away from the fake ones. -
First Day of College
After high school, I decided to go with my aspirations to major in biochemistry and go to medical school at the University of Florida in Gainesville. On my first day, I met my roommate who helped me get connected at the school and picked out my classes. I began to get into more responsible study habits and buckled down to party less and study more so it would not be a repeat of how I studied in high school. -
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Young Adulthood
In this stage, the goal is to develop your own close relationships with others. In my story, this is demonstrated with me dating Ashley. -
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20-30
The majority of my life in this stage is just medical school and adapting to adulthood. After finally learning what a real relationship is, I settle down and begin to date for the long-term. -
My First Car Accident
I consider myself to be a good driver, and managed to not get in a single accident for just shy of five years. However, this car accident, though not legally my fault, made me feel guilty for not swerving away in time and totaling someone’s car who didn’t have insurance and leaving him in financial ruin. -
My Grandmother Dies
During a lecture, I got a call from my mother telling me my grandmother had had a heart attack. I left and drove down to Tampa, but she had already died an hour before I arrived. This was my first time experiencing loss of someone I was very close to. I will always miss the things I did with my grandma, from collecting coins to talking about life. She was an amazing poet, and I have many poems to pass down and show my kids. She will always be in my heart as someone with a heart and will of gold. -
Beginning Medical School
After switching my major from biochemistry to pharmaceutics and graduating UF, I went right back the next semester to Gainesville for my MD. I kept my self afloat by working at various Publix’s, a job I had amazingly sustained since I was 14. -
Meeting Ashley
After obtaining from dating for a couple months after an ugly relationship, I met Ashley, a nursing student who worked alongside me. We quickly fell in love and began dating within a month. -
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30-40
At this point in my life, I settle down and settle into the shoes of a father and a doctor. -
Getting Married
Only months after graduating medical school and beginning to work as a resident doctor, I decided to marry my girlfriend of 6 years, Ashley. -
Buying my First House
As newlyweds, Ashley and I lived in an apartment near the UF Campus, close to my work. After finishing my residency as a doctor, I found an opening in Austin, Texas. After being toured around many houses, we narrowed it down to three. After months of consideration, we finally decided to pull the trigger on the house with the best school district. -
My First Child
To follow the Delgado tradition my dad disregarded, we named our first born son, Zachary Jr., after me. As a massive kid, weighing 10lbs at birth, he gave us much trouble at first, with both him and us becoming very restless. After about two months, he mellowed out, a relief to my wife and I. -
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Middle Adulthood
The goal of this stage is to be productive both at home with parenthood and at work. In my story, I demonstrate this by being very busy juggling fatherhood and my job as a doctor. -
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40-50
As a now experienced adult, my state begins to decline. My aging is now noticeable and the long and sleep deprived nights have taken a tole on my energy. However, I am still young in my experiences as a father and a husband, so in some ways, I am learning every day as if I was in school. -
My Friend Dies
One of my closer friends in my early days of college overdosed. When we were young, I remember him having a heart of gold. He never took school seriously, but managed to push through college partying everyday. As a result of this, took more and more drugs and eventually became addicted. I’m stricken with grief because I was one of the few who knew. I wish I had gotten him the help he needed. -
My Second Child
Ashley and I had a second child, this time a girl. My daughter’s name is Sophia, and she is unsettlingly calm and quite. When we first got home, we thought there was something wrong with here because of how little she cried compared to Zach Jr. -
10th Anniversary
For Ashley and I’s 10 anniversary, we decided to go tour Hawaii. We had a great time, but it was one of the first times I had left the kids, so naturally I was anxious. We decided to let Ashely’s sister and her husband watch the kids. It was a great vacation, I finally got to see Hawaii like I always wanted to. The best part was spending a whole week with Ashley without having to worry about kids or work. Nowadays, it seems like that’s all we’re occupied with. -
Zach Jr.‘s First Day at Kindergarten
I began the day stressed, thinking Kindergarten for Zach Jr. would be like preschool, where he cried and carried on for weeks about not being in the care of us or one our friends for relatives. Fortunately, today went about as smooth as possible. Zach Jr. apparently cared just fine, as if it was just another day at preschool. The teacher said he was great and was fitting right in with the other students and making friends. -
Sophia’s First Day of Kindergarten
Sophia’s first day of school didn’t go quite as well as Zach Jr.’s. She cried the entire way, and was anxious about being stripped from preschool and having to learn a new environment. Thankfully, when I came home she wouldn’t stop talking about her day and how she made a new friend named Nicki. The teacher said she was quite and mopey at first, but all it took was Nicki introducing herself to Sophia to make her cheer up. -
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50-60
One of the most stressful periods of my life were my 50s. There was so much going on, between medical problems on both sides of the family, more and more friends and family dying, kids going to school, and work becoming more and more difficult as I age. -
Quitting as a Doctor
Work has gotten to be too stressful for my aging body lately. Working 12+ hour shifts and going without sleep has taken it’s toll on me. While I was used to being in perfect health my whole life, I recently gained weight and have high blood pressure. After trying all I could to be healthier, I realized the problem; work. It had been affecting my relationships and health for years, and I would always blame it on myself or something else. I put in my two weeks and finally quit. What a relief. -
Moving and Finding a New Job
With Ashley and I’s parents getting older, we decided we should move closer to home so the kids could spend more time with their grandparents. We decided to move to Lakeland for two reasons: it is right in between Tampa and Kissimmee, where her and her parents are from, and because there is a lot of job opportunity in Lakeland. I applied to be a part of the Pharmaceutical Board in the Publix corporate offices and managed to get the job. I lost weight and am finally happy and settling in. -
My Father Dies
While my dad had always remained active and far from senile, his health had been declining. At 82, my dad suffered from a very sudden stroke. Nobody had expected it, and he was unfortunately not able to recover. He passed about 4 hours after the stroke, at least being able to say goodbye to his grandkids, my distraught mother, and I. I loved my father, and tried to make myself a better him. Accordingly, I stopped drinking regularly in his honor, so I do not suffer the same fate he did. -
Ashley’s Mother Dies
When Ashley and I first heard of Polio G, a strain of Polio which had recently broken out in the US, we gave it no mind because it wasn’t nearly as contagious or publicized as COVID-19. However, when both of Ashley’s parents contracted Polio, we were very concerned because of its known effect on the elderly. Her mother died at 78, peacefully in her sleep after Polio paralyzed her lungs. She was distraught, with her unable to cope with the reality of never seeing her mother again. -
Ashley’s Father Dies
Three days after his wife’s death, Ashley’s father died as well. We knew his time was coming. As a very peaceful and wise man, like Morrie for Tuesdays with Morrie, we spent his last days at his house in Kissimmee, spending all day with him talking and playing games. Rather than being sad and somber, it was more peaceful and cheery. We got to hear many crazy stories from when he was young. He reminded me of my grandfather. I’m glad we got to make lasting memories with him before he passed. -
Zach Jr. Leaves for College
It was a very emotional day for Ashley and I. Our first son is out of the house and headed for Ohio State, like his grandmother. We’re very proud of him and will miss him dearly. Ashley has cried the whole day and, well, I’ve been crying right next to her the entire time. We know he has so much potential, and hope he pursues his dream of being a sociologist. I hope he succeeds excels farther than I did. I tried to teach him my short-comings and how to overcome the challenges life will bring. -
Sophia Leaves for College
With no more kids in the house, Ashley and I are very bored. When Sophia left, it was almost an exact repeat of Zach Jr.’s exodus. She’s extremely smart, and I believe she would make an amazing professor. Since the day she was born if she was passionate about something, she was good at it. I believe she will flourish at New York University and quickly prove to be an aspiring engineer, her life-long dream. -
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60-70
This is the point in my life where I truly feel old. With my kids out of the house and many friends and family gone, I can finally focus on spending time with my wife and focus on my career before I retire. -
Promotion
To push myself and accomplish something else before I retire, I wanted to try as hard as I could work work my way up at Publix. After boosting the company economically and proving my tenacity for success, I was promoted onto the Board of Directors. To be honest, it’s quite the rewarding feat and it feels good to direct an amazing company. I would never thought I would get this far at 14. I feel accomplished that I have provided for my family and will be able to spoil them after I die. -
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Maturity
The goal of this stage is to look back on life and reflect. This is demonstrated in my story by me looking back on my fruitful life and wishing to spread my joy and wisdom to others. -
My First Grandchild
Today, Zach Jr.’s wife and my daughter-in-law, Alyssa, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Michael. Of course, Ashley, Sophia, and I along with some extended family went to go meet Michael. It’s awesome to have a grandkid now, especially because I can visit and remember when Zach Jr. was his size. -
Bad News
After Ashley’s check-up, we got some terrible new. She had been diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer, and would be undergoing chemotherapy and hormone therapy in the next weeks. The prospect of my wife dying terrifies me. I will stand by her side no matter what and support her. The kids have taken this especially rough, and are coming home soon to visit. -
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70-80
Now I’m old. From grandkids to being retired, I finally and reap the benefits and relax from a fruitful life. While misfortune and tragedy is still prevalent, my old age and mastery I gained through living life guides me. I no longer let everything get to me as I did when I was younger. No matter how bad your current situation seems, it’s never the end of the world and you can always bounce back if you truly think you can. This is the philosophy I’m trying to remind my kids and teach their kids. -
My Mother Dies
At the age of 99, my mother died of old age. Like my father’s, it was very heart-wrenching and sudden. She was one of the nicest people I had ever met, inspiring to me to be kind to everyone throughout my childhood and touching everyone around her with her generosity. I will miss my mother so much, along with everyone else. I’m so grateful she lived such a long life. I’m glad she got to meet her great-grandchildren and teach them the kindness she taught me. -
Finally Retiring
Since I began working at Publix at 14, retirement rarely crossed my mind. At times, I believed I would never retire at a time, not being able to see myself being happy without work. I mean, who wants to sit at home all day and do nothing everyday? Well, with my current situation, I believe I will be just fine at home. With my wife’s health dwindling and my new grandkids, staying home is the best thing I can do right now. In fact, I’ve been having a blast spending time with everyone. -
Good News
After our 40th anniversary, Ashley and I returned to amazing news. Ashely’s breast cancer was almost completely gone and she’s expected to make a full recovery. We decided to call everyone and celebrate by getting together the next week. The best part is I get to spend more time with my lovely wife. -
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80-90
My life continues to be filled with joy, even though bored at home. My grandkids are growing up so fast, I get to see them now starting middle school and high school. As my life draws to a close, I reflect on what I did, what I could have done, and what I learned. I hope to pass this knowledge on and touch everyone I know with the knowledge that made me successful but more importantly happy. -
50th Anniversary
Ashley and I did something huge for our 50th anniversary. We decided to invite every close friend and family member to a tour of the Caribbean. It was a great time, and a truly fulfilling moment. I got to see people I hadn’t seen in over 30 years. I hope this memory of everyone having fun together will stick with them when I’m gone. -
Pancreatic Cancer
At my check-up, my doctor pointed out I had lost a lot of weight. After a closer look, to mine and my loved one’s dismay, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The was virtually no chance of my survival within the next year, even with treatment. It was a highly criticized and possibly reckless decision, but I decided to not get treated, due to my already frail health and the risks involved. I plan to live my best life and spend time with my loved one’s before I pass. -
My Death
After amazingly living two years with untreated termites Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer, I finally succumbed to my illness. On my birthday, at the ripe old age of 90, I celebrated my age with my family one last time. In my heart, I knew this would be one of the last time I saw them, so I decided to make the most of it. I talked to absolutely everyone I could, told them how much I loved them, and told them something important about life. When everyone left, I went to bed as usual, and never woke up.