Yuri Ramos and Frency Moore

Yuri (Y) shares that March 7th was the one year anniversary of their mother's passing. He explains that she was killed by a drunk driver on her way home from work. Frency (F) describes the details of the accident.

F mentions that March 8th is International Woman's Day and is fitting for their mother's memory since she came to the United States from Brazil. F and Y share memories of their mother as a single mom, her divorce and her marriage to their stepfather.

F shares memories regarding diversity green card lottery to move to America. F and Y talk about their mother and stepfather applying, being accepting and the process.

Y asks F what did she pack when moving. F remembers being scared that no one spoke English. Y recalls packing his hot wheel cars and swimming medals.

Y and F discuss their favorite memories of childhood. Y talks of living in Rio De Janeiro traveling downtown and the treat of going to McDonald's after the dentist. F shares memories of her mother being her kindergarten teacher at catholic school. They talk of their mother as being hard working and also how they have these traits.

Y talks of a routine of lying in bed during the time of his mother's accident and reflecting upon that moment. F talks about a funny trait/routine that she has picked up from her mother, which is her telling her children they need to eat healthy and she does not.

Y mentions a discussion with his children where they were wondering what animal VaVa (their grandmother) would come back as and they decided a lizard since she liked the beach and basking in the sun.

Y and F share their last conversations with their mother. Y recalls a conversation where their mother was sharing her dreams and goals, which were that her children graduate college and become United States Citizens. She told him that if she died today that all her dreams would have come true.

F talks of the work that she does as an education advocate and shares with her clients to think from a growth mind set like her mother who was from a third world country and sacrificed her comfort to make a better life for her children and all because she took a chance.

Y shares the process of becoming an architect, his wife, his children and fulfillment of his dreams. He mentions their mother told him to be present for his wife and his family. F describes her last conversation with her mother was about her daughter June's cotillion and how important it was for her granddaughter to have a nice dress (gown) for the occasion.

F mentions hours before her mother's passing that her mother congratulated her on her 15 years of marriage. She then describes how she learned of her mother's accident from her brother, the details of the hospital and the chaplain who delivered the final news.

Y talks of thinking that his mother was invincible and not considering her dying.

Y describes a recent dream of their mother. F shares memories and describes her as someone who didn't put people in boxes and being truthful.