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Letter to the editor

Sometimes wishes do come true

By ALEXANDRA ZAYAS, Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

In our second annual Holiday Hopes series, North of Tampa featured four local families in need. We asked each to make a wish. You, the readers, granted them all. Thank you. To read the Holiday Hopes series, go to hillsborough.tampabay.com. Here are the results of your generosity.

After 58 years, 'I want to be close to her' Nov. 30

Through the years, Reinaldo Montoto has watched his wife slip away, first from Parkinson's disease, then dementia. But he has never left her side. He faithfully turns 75-year-old Isabel every two hours so she doesn't get bed sores. One of the many things Reinaldo misses about his wife is the way she cooked. Reinaldo, whose freezer is lined with microwave dinners, wished for a home-cooked meal.

Granted: Patty Klein at LifePath Hospice received 10 offers to cook for Reinaldo. She chose Bailey's Catering and Restaurant, based in Hyde Park, to cook Christmas dinner for Reinaldo and his family.

A sea of tragedy, pain Nov. 23

Marsha Day's 41-year-old husband, Keith, died on Oct. 14. Five days later, her house burned down. Day and her 17-year-old mentally disabled son, Anthony, were left with little hope. Day wished for a career opportunity and transportation. Anthony wanted a tricycle so he could stay active and be healthy.

Granted: A man who wishes to remain anonymous donated $10,000 for Day to invest in classes to become an X-ray technician. Another showed up at Anthony's grandmother's house with a used Plymouth Voyager and a shiny blue tricycle. Several others sent checks, and workers at Chicago Sweeteners took up a collection. In total, the family received about $14,000. "The kindness of strangers just overwhelmed me," said Keith's mother, Lavinia Stembridge. "God has so many angels around here."

Key part of life Dec. 7

Shakale Jackson's early childhood was chaotic, but moving in with her grandparents made her life stable. Gayle and Avery Robinson want to give 11-year-old Shakale everything she needs for a bright future, but money has been tight. Shakale has a passion for playing the piano, but after her teacher moved away, her grandparents couldn't find someone affordable. They've had a piano on layaway for two years. Shakale wished for a piano and someone to teach her.

Granted: Gayle Robinson drove Shakale home from school on a recent afternoon, and opened the door for a surprise. "A piano? Oh, my gosh! A piano!" Shakale gasped. "This is awesome!" Irene Rubenstein, who volunteers for the Florida Orchestra, paid the layaway balance at Piano Distributors, and the piano company delivered an upgraded Clavinova, worth $2,000. Shakale ran into Rubenstein's arms when the donor visited her home that afternoon. Mary Wendelken offered to match Shakale's old teacher's rates at her New Tampa conservatory, and hopes to prepare Shakale to compete statewide next year.

Red tape clouds family's futureDec. 14

A family left Cuba for religious freedom. They've ended up in Tampa, only to find more worries. Zaida Pino is caring for a husband with leukemia and a son with diabetes, but because of a nationwide backlog in processing immigrant applications, she can't legally work in the United States. Pino asked for help paying the rent, due at the first of the month.

Granted: At press time earlier this week, it was too early to determine the full donation amount, but Dr. Kimberly Kinsler at the Homeless Education and Literacy Project said Monday that callers had already pledged $600. She plans to surprise the family with the total donations today.

Alexandra Zayas can be reached at azayas@sptimes.com or 226-3354

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 22:01:39]