As many of us map out, work toward, and realize our dreams in this new year, a Latina mom literally gave her children a new lease on life when she showed them the new apartment they would be living in. Up until then, the family of three lived in a garage. On Jan. 1, 2020, Ana Manzo gave her children a tour of their new, empty apartment, not knowing her daughter Meydi was recording the entire reaction. Meydi’s brother walked around excitedly, smiled when he saw the bedroom and immediately started sobbing. Now, Latino Twitter is taking it upon themselves to relate to the lows and highs and ensure the Manzo family will struggle just a little bit less.

Meydi decided to film the momentous moment that their family had been saving for over the last 7 years.

“After more then 7 years living in a small garage that was the only thing my mom could afford, we finally got a small apartment, this was my little brothers reaction,” Meydi Manzo captioned the viral video that now has over 4 million views. It seems like both Meydi and her mom expected to see a happy reaction from her brother, but didn’t expect the tears. When her brother walks into what looks like a one-bedroom apartment, a big grin swallows up his face. Then, he starts to cry, taking a sleeve to his face to dry his tears as Mama Ana gives him a big hug and asks why he’s crying. Anyone who has been there already knows why he’s crying. “It’s okay to cry papi 💕,” offers one Twitter user. 

Another offers her experience, tweeting, “This is so beautiful to see! It’s an incredible feeling.
When I was younger I lived in a small room with 3 of my other siblings and my parents. It makes you humble… but keep grinding for that better life!!” 

After the video went viral, Meydi took the opportunity to offer a lesson in gratitude.

“Hi we didn’t expect this to blow up the way that it did, but thank you so much to everyone for your kind words,” she tweeted, adding that her brother has read all the comments and “is beyond happy that this blew up.” For the Manzo family, this moment is all about gratitude. “Those seven years in the garage have taught us to be thankful and to appreciate everything and anything we have,” she said in a follow-up tweet. “The simplest things, we may not have much but we have each others’ love no matter how much me and my brother fight lol,” Meydi added. 

If you’re not crying yet, just wait.

Meydi has a message for those of you who are in similar situations.

“For those of you in similar situations, it gets better, and god is good,” Meydi tweeted. She says that her mom “is overwhelmed with feelings” because Meydi has been reading everyone’s comments to her and vows to continue to read every message of support and pass it on to her mother. “She promised us she would keep us moving forward no matter what and she has done nothing but keep that promise true,” Meydi said. “Hug your parents and remind them how thankful you are for everything they do for you and everything they have given you no matter how little it is,” Meydi offers in her final message of hope and gratitude. “Sending love and blessings to you all, thank you once again.”

So many people asked Meydi for ways they could help that she started a GoFundMe that has raised over $3k for the Manzo family.

“A lot of people were asking how they could help and I couldn’t think of another way,” Meydi said in the GoFundMe, adding, “my mom is a little tight on money and I hate asking others for stuff like money, but I think this would lift a weight off her chest with the upcoming bills.” In less than 24 hours, Twitter has raised at least two month’s rent for the Manzo family, with folks donating from all over the world.

So many folks felt the tears that Meydi’s brother shed because they had been there too and were in a place to donate. “I grew up not having a lot and I know what It feels like. I cried when I saw your little brother cry. I hope this help a lot, one donor who gave $100 said in a GoFundMe comment. 

May Mama Ana Manzo’s besitos give you all the bendiciones you need to reach your goals this new year.

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A Latina mother was hospitalized after her two of her daughter’s bullies beat her up outside James Logan High School in Northern California. Maria “Lupita” Guadalupe Jimenez and her husband, Eder Rojas, are choosing to transfer their 16-year-old daughter to another school after their entire family was targeted by a group of bullies outside James Logan High School. On Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, Jimenez arrived with her husband, 16-year-old daughter and 3-month-old daughter for a scheduled appointment to meet with the school’s principal about her daughter’s bullies. Two girls ganged up on the family as they were getting out of the car. Rojas did everything he could to protect his daughter, so the girls began beating on his wife. Even after they knocked her unconscious, they continued to kick her in the head. Jimenez was recovering from a C-section just a few months prior and had to be hospitalized for two days. She underwent surgery to repair three fractures in her nose.

Police were called to the scene and one girl has been arrested. As Jimenez’s family plans to hire a lawyer, her friends are raising money for her medical expenses like true Americans: through a GoFundMe.

“I thought we were safe on campus,” Maria Jimenez told a local news station.

Jimenez and Eder Rojas knew that their daughter was being bullied, but they never imagined that her bullies would go on to physically assault them both. They decided that they wanted to go inside and speak with the principal as they were dropping their daughter off at school. Their daughter had spoken with the principal several times over the last year but her concerns weren’t taken seriously. It got to the point where she was afraid to go to school and wanted to just stop altogether. That’s when Jimenez and Rojas decided to step in and inadvertently prove just how dangerous these “bullies” were.

Jimenez recalls how one of the teen girls brought her to the ground by her hair and started dragging her. “The girl was very furious, they grabbed me by the hair and dragged me,” she told ABC7 News. “I just wanted to talk to the principal, you’d never imagine a kid would hit an adult, I thought we were safe on campus,” Jimenez added. 

Jimenez was released from the hospital two days later with orders to return for surgery.

Jimenez’s nose is fractured in three places and had to undergo surgery in order for her nose to heal properly. Jimenez reportedly saw the girls approaching ready to hit her daughter but she told them, “No te metas,” or “don’t mess.” That’s when she dragged her to the ground by the hair and hit her so hard she became too dizzy to even stand up again. 

Rojas wouldn’t allow them to hurt her daughter anymore. “They want to hit my daughter but I cover a lot that they didn’t they couldn’t get there so they grabbed my wife,” Rojas told KRON4. “She has the bones broken right here, she has the eyes all red a bump here.” The family may have not been outnumbered but they weren’t prepared to fight a group of aggressive teenagers. “I feel really angry, sad at the same time,” Rojas added about the whole situation.

One of the teens has since been arrested on charges of battery with serious bodily injury.

Union City Police arrived at the high school at 8:44 a.m. along with paramedics. Because the suspects are minors, their names will not be released to protect their privacy. Police say that the suspect has been released under adult supervision and was assigned a court date. “The case continues under investigation and the names of the people involved will not be released at this time. We don’t believe there are more suspects related to the case, ” Lt. Steve Méndez said in a statement.

Thus far, the school has only responded by sending a mass email to parents to publicly state: “We are investigating and following up on this incident working directly with the Union City Police Department, and taking disciplinary actions. We believe this incident to be between the two Logan students and does not appear to involve any other Logan students.”

A friend of the family has raised nearly $10,000 to help the family with medical costs.

The physical assault all happened while their 3-month-old baby was inside the car. Because Jimenez was recovering from cesarean surgery, her medical needs were more pressing. In less than a week, a friend of Jimenez has raised $9,154 dollars through GoFundMe to help the family pay another long list of medical expenses, just months after the hospital expenses associated with having a C-section.

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