Tim Z. Hernandez's Blog, page 3

Bea Franco, “The Mexican Girl,” Dies at Age 92

Last Friday I received a phone call from Albert Franco (Bea’s son) telling me of the dismal news that his mother had passed away last Thursday morning. This comes exactly one week after she held a new copy of “Manana Means Heaven” in her warm hands, and allowed her daughter Patricia to snap some photos of her. One of which I posted on my Facebook account (see below). Needless to say, I was stunned at the news. We had been making plans to honor her at the upcoming book release event in Fresno, and she had been doing great health-wise in recent weeks. Over the weekend I pulled out the video footage of our interviews, which were done in late 2010, when I first found her, and I watched them. She still had her humor about her, and her warm smile was infectious. Especially as she told me the story of how in the early days of East Los Angeles, she wasn’t afraid to fight, and how she often defended her sister Angie from bullies. She laughed about those days. Bea also loved skittles. She often kept a bowl of them on her dining room table. Throughout our interviews she would sneak away to the back of the house to take a few puffs from a cigarette. She was 90 years old at the time. When I first told her that there were over twenty Kerouac biographies that had included her name, her reply was, “Why? My life wasn’t so special.” And then she’d chuckle. In viewing those videos, I see now just how lucky I am to have known her, even if only for a brief moment in time. During the years it took me to write “Manana Means Heaven,” as any writer will tell you, I lived with her in my mind and heart. And then sometimes I’d speak with her in person and she’d remind me, in her own unassuming way, that it was simply a small part of who she was, in a life that spanned nearly a century. On this melancholy occasion, I think of the curious way she signed off her letters, to Kerouac, to her husband and to her friends: “I REMAIN AS EVER, Bea”

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Bea holding a copy of “Mañana Means Heaven.” August 9. (Copyright 2013, used with the permission of Bea’s Estate)

(October 13, 1920 – August 15, 2013)

The Memorial Headstone & Event

Hey friends, I thought you might like to see where your $10,000 are going! I’m so happy to report that the progress on the memorial ledger is now underway, and so many exciting developments are unfolding every day. Maybe some of you had a chance to finally meet Mr. Jaime Ramirez via the article that came out in the Los Angeles Times recently. His family’s story gets even more amazing and I can’t wait to share this with you in my book.

Below is a photo of me at the headstone that used to be at the gravesite, and below that is the foundation for the new headstone. You can see where they’ve imbedded the old headstone into the concrete, so that folks can see the history.

Right now the memorial event is being planned and I’ll be posting up a flyer-invitation very soon, but for now I can tell you that there’ll be a variety of music, ceremony, possibly some Aztec dancers, and of course, the unveiling of the beautifully finished memorial headstone. It’ll be both a time for contemplation and celebration.

Also, the day before the event, I’ll be hosting a rare opportunity for the community (YOU!) to share dinner and discussion with the circle of people who were directly involved in this historical incident. Guests will include the family of Frank & Bobbi Atkinson (the pilot and stewardess), the family and friends of Martin Hoffman  (the musician who composed the melody to the song we all know and love today), June Leigh Austin (daughter of the property owners and first responders), Deana McCloud (Executive of the Woody Guthrie Center), and the Ramirez-Paredes family (descendants of two of the Mexican passengers). Please email me directly for details.

Some of the media: The Los Angeles Times, Univision/ ABC, The Story with Dick Gordon on NPR, Telemundo, NPR Tell Me More with Michele Martin, The California Report (KQED), The Pilsen Portal, , Univision/ Central Cal, KVPR Valley Public Radio, The Fresno Bee, The Victoria Advocate, and Vida En El Valle.

THE MEMORIAL EVENT: Monday September 2, 2013, 10 am, Holy Cross Cemetery, 2105 West Belmont Ave., Fresno, California 93728

Photos: Top Photo, Tim at old headstone, Bottom Photo, Credit: Lydia Z. Hernandez, 7/2013

The Answer to Woody’s Question…

When Woody Guthrie asked the question, “Who are these friends all scattered like dry leaves?” I wonder if he ever thought someone 65 years down the road would attempt to answer it? Or that the someone would be the grandson of migrant farmworkers from the same soil that the plane went down. I wanted you all to be the first to hear…I have in fact located surviving family members for two of the “deportee” passengers aboard the plane that crashed in Los Gatos Canyon. It only took the first conversation with Mr. Ramirez to realize that he and I have both been slogging our way through years of research (Mr. Ramirez more than I), intuitively working our way toward one another all this time. He is the grandson and nephew of Guadalupe Ramirez Lara and Ramon Paredes Gonzalez, both men who found themselves aboard that fateful flight on January 28, 1948. Since our first conversation, he and his family have been gracious and beyond cooperative in allowing me to interview them in person, and on camera/ audio for my book. To say they are excited about the effort to install the new headstone memorial on September 2 is an understatement. They’ve been waiting for this moment since 1948, and of course they’ll be present. I know many of you have been asking me if I have found any of the families, and while I’d like to save some of the mystery for my book, I will let you know that with the family’s consent we’ll be releasing this news to the wider public very soon.

But for now, I will offer this:

I recently took Mr. Ramirez, his wife and niece, to the crash sight in Los Gatos Canyon, to see the exact location where their relatives died. To add to the special occasion, Larry Haws, the grandson of O.D. “Happy” Gaston, who was among the first on the scene to help, was with us. And in a moment I thought might never happen, I found myself entering the canyon creek bed with the grandson of a first responder on my left, and the grandson of two “nameless” victims on my right. Both men linked by a single incident that had begun to shape their lives before they were even born. As you can see, Mr. Ramirez wore his father’s hat for the special occasion.

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(Copyright 2013, Tim Z. Hernandez) Mr. Ramirez, the grandson and nephew of two of the “Deportee” passengers aboard the plane in Los Gatos Canyon stands at the foot of the creek bed, staring down at the spot that the plane crashed.

Needless to say, my book has taken a major but fortuitous turn, and I am chipping away at it mercilessly. In the meantime, my videographer, Ken Leija, and I are going to be putting together a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the documentary portion of this journey. As many of you know, I’ve had a camera following throughout the research, and this is why. If you didn’t get a chance to donate to the headstone memorial, but would like to help make the documentary a reality, please keep an eye out for the campaign or contact me directly.

In the spirit of community,

Tim

E: tzhernandez@yahoo.com

We have reached our $10,000 goal!!

THANK YOU to all who have helped make the memorial headstone for the 28 Mexican brothers and sisters who have gone 65 years without a name on their headstone a reality. As you know, so many wonderful people have supported this effort, if not in monetary contributions then in sweat, art, and organizing. Holy Cross Cemetery and myself have begun discussions as to what the memorial event will look like and we will be excited to announce this as soon as we have it completed. For now, please mark your calendars for this wonderful event which will take place on Labor Day, September 2, 2013, at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fresno, California. You can continue to follow my updates here for details as we get closer.

Also, I am working on putting together an opportunity for the community to meet and greet all those involved in my book, research, and the historical incident itself. Please check back with this page for details soon!

Sincerely,

Tim