Paloma and Juan Luis are the parents of four children. One of them, they say, is an “angel.» When they come from Heaven, they don’t arrive with a manual under their arm; you have to get to know them, and it takes a while, but in the end, they all tend to show great affection and become something very special to the family—in this case, Sergio.
It all began in 1997, when they were expecting their third child. The pregnancy went well, but the delivery was complicated, and the baby was deprived of oxygen for a while, which led to severe developmental delays and a behavioral disorder. So why call him an “angel” if the outlook wasn’t promising at all? There’s an explanation for everything. At first, it wasn’t easy at all, as it entailed a great deal of responsibility, some guilt, and a lot of uncertainty, but over time, everything fell into place for this “angel,” and now he brings great joy to this happy family. We were able to interview the two main characters in this wonderful and heartwarming story, which we share below.
Paloma and Juan Luis, how did your family start to grow?
–We both wanted to start a family, although we couldn't agree on how many children to have; Juan Luis wanted a large family, but I wasn't so sure about that.
When our first daughter was approaching school age, we took her to Senara (a corporate initiative of Opus Dei), and it was there that Juan Luis discovered his calling as a supernumerary.
When she was 5, our second daughter was born, followed by Sergio, and then a fourth child after Sergio.
Financially, things were going very well for us—we had good jobs and a nice home, and we were in good health, too.
Paloma, what was it like when Sergio arrived? What did that mean for you all? How did you feel at first?
–Sergio’s arrival was a joy because he was our third child and our first son after two daughters, and we were very excited, but when he was born, we realized that something wasn’t right. We later learned that there had been fetal distress during labor, which led to Sergio being hospitalized in the ICU for 12 days.
The first year was really tough—constant visits to different pediatricians. We knew something wasn't right, but no doctor could tell us what it was.
I felt completely overwhelmed; I just kept wondering why this was happening and what would become of him. I felt very frustrated and, above all, very helpless, and on the verge of depression. On top of that, he wouldn’t eat and was malnourished, so he had to undergo a temporary gastrostomy for six months—which he ended up keeping for 10 years.
I was so worried about the future that I wasn't living in the present; for a long time, I didn't enjoy it. In fact, when someone told me it was a gift, it made my blood boil.
But thank God, one day something just clicked for me, and I realized I couldn't go on like that—that it wasn't helping my son or the rest of my family at all—and everything changed; I no longer felt like I was in a dark pit.
And you, Juan Luis, how did you take it? What did your kids think?
–I used to think God didn’t love me very much, because everything was going so well for us, and when Sergio came along, it was a gift to be given the responsibility of caring for an angel.
During that first year, I did what Saint Monica did with her son: I talked to God more about Paloma and to Paloma less about God
Our daughters were young at the time; they didn't really understand what was going on, but they did compare their brother's development to that of other children or their cousins and noticed that he wasn't doing the same things.
Paloma, what have you learned during this time? What has living with an angel meant to you?
–During this time, we've learned to enjoy the moment; we don't make long-term plans, we live one day at a time, and we thank God for what we have—we don't focus on what we lack.
Living with him has helped us grow and become better people; it has changed the way we view life and live it.
Juan Luis, why is Sergio such a sweetheart to you guys?
–His arrival has brightened our lives in a unique way; his disability doesn’t set limits, but rather opens paths for us toward greater sensitivity and a deeper love. With him, we learn to celebrate every small step forward, to see the world through a different lens, and to discover the strength that comes from love. That’s why he’s our angel—because, without even trying, he makes us better people every day.
Juan Luis, what is your family like now? What joys does Sergio bring you?
–We’re a very close-knit family; everything revolves around Sergio. The joy of each day comes from taking care of him and being there for him, because due to his special needs, there are many things he can’t do on his own.
Paloma, what advice would you give to everyone who faces a surprise like the one you did, but is less prepared in every way?
–It's very hard to give someone advice because everyone deals with what happens to them in a different way.
It really helped me to see how Juan Luis dealt with it, and drawing closer to God gave me more confidence and a great deal of inner peace.
I think the key is to seek love and support from your immediate family and professional help from the appropriate specialists, and over time, everything will fall into place.
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