Thursday, June 8 th, 2006

His real name is Hector Salazar, but he quickly invites new friends to call him Angel. Today, Angel’s family traveled all the way from California to watch him receive a scholarship from the Ogden Weber Applied Technology College at its annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. It was a trek worth making because Angel’s journey covered more than just miles. It started in a poor, gang neighborhood, which led to a paralyzing gunshot wound and ultimately led him to a beautiful college campus. “My mom wants to display this certificate right at her front entrance so everyone can see it,” says Angel, who radiates new life on this spring day.

His journey began on June 2, 2002 when Angel was at a party in southern California where he lived at the time. This party was like many others in a life that revolved around drugs and gangs. This party, however, led to an argument, which led to a bullet in the back, which led to Angel waking up paralyzed from the collarbone down.

The next thing Angel knew he was waking up in a hospital paralyzed from the collarbone down. Recovery was complicated by the fact that he got kicked out of the hospital for threatening a doctor.

The next year was a dark time in his life, lying down so much that he got bed sores. One day his brother came in and forcefully told him to get up and do something with his life. He did, and ended up here in Utah to start a new life, a life that would make his mom and deceased father proud. “All my dad ever wanted was for me to live and be good.” Angel left California partly because of the pain of seeing his mother cry over him. “She is happy now. My family came all the way out here to see me get this scholarship.”

Now, Angel is working hard to fulfill his parents’ dreams by going to college so he can one day be a counselor for kids with disabilities. He made a big step toward his goal two and a half months ago when he got on a bus and came to the Ogden Weber Applied Technology College. Through Weber Adult Education he has completed high school and is now taking business technology courses. Each small piece is an important step toward eventually finishing a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree. Diversity and ADA manager Pamela Hernandez, helped Angel learn about the Cinco de Mayo scholarship. She said, “He is a shining example, representing everyone who faces tremendous odds.”

Angel lights up when he starts talking about his dream to work with kids who have disabilities. “I met this little boy when I was in the hospital that was in a wheelchair. He changed my life. Now I want to be an example to those kids. I want them to see that I am happy. I am 98% happy.” He says he is determined to succeed because he has told too many people about his dreams to stop short of success. “I won’t let you down. You know, it took a bullet in the back to show me that my life was worth something. I have a second chance now.”