Thursday, January 31, 2008
Born: Colombia
Here: 24 years in Baton Rouge
Occupation: Homebuilder, owner, Alvarez Construction Co. Inc.
Why he came: To provide better education for his children, to escape the unruly atmosphere created by Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel, and to leave the country before his oldest son, Carlos, became eligible for the Colombian draft at age 16.
Jairo Alvarez’s first language lesson in America came at his own expense.
Recently emigrated from Columbia, he felt grateful when his co-workers at the Albany Medical Center taught him his first English words. They would tell him exactly what to say and to whom to say it. But when his “teachers” erupted in laughter at the angry responses his greetings prompted, Alvarez realized he’d been speaking obscenities.
Thirty years later, after learning he had prostate cancer, Alvarez stood in front of a mirror and recalled those words he’d been duped into repeating to strangers. A flood of expletives poured out with pent-up fury as he cursed his illness.
“You motherf*****! You are in the wrong body, and I’m gonna kick your ass!” he shouted. If cancer had a throat, his knuckles would have been white choking the life out of it.
Alvarez, 70, has drawn on such ferocious resolve to beat cancer, not to mention build a prosperous American dream for his family. In his office at Alvarez Construction Co., the 70-year-old homebuilder cites his faith in God, and even apologizes for retelling the story of his humiliating language lesson. “Whatever happens to you in life is for your good,” he says. “It may take 30 years to realize it, but it is.”
“Even with the thousands of Spanish-speaking people in Baton Rouge there is no organization, newspaper or radio station. But I think it is coming,” says businessman and author Jairo Alvarez.
Maps of Forest Creek, Magnolia Pointe and Stumberg Place developments line one wall of the office like flags marking the boundaries of the small real estate empire he has carved out in the I-12 corridor. Above these hang a few dozen cycling medals. The latest is from a regional race that had no senior division. Alvarez, a former champion in Colombia who sold a calf to buy his first bike, entered in the 30s age category and finished third.
Like one of his heroes Lance Armstrong, the longtime Baton Rouge resident now lives cancer-free. In 2007 he released his memoirs, No Such Thing As Impossible: From Adversity to Triumph, and this year he will complete a Spanish translation.
Alvarez grew up on a modest potato farm near rural Sonson, Colombia. No Such Thing details how he overcame addictions to prescription pills and alcohol, and his hard-fought journey to success in America.
With more than 100 houses now under construction, Alvarez employs 200 full-time workers. Only 10 are immigrants, but through sub-contracted carpenters and roofers he has witnessed the influx of Hispanic workers in Baton Rouge. Alvarez has developed a strong pride in his new country, and he worries about what will happen to society and the economy when illegals hit retirement age and need medical care. “There’ll be millions living under bridges and on park benches,” he muses.
Alvarez says he would like to be involved in an effective organization to help local Hispanic businesses if one were to develop.
“It’s incredible the influence of the Spanish community,” he says. “We are all from such different cultures, though you don’t see a lot of unity among all of us. Even with the thousands of Spanish-speaking people in Baton Rouge there is no organization, newspaper or radio station. But I think it is coming.”
Click here for information on Alvarez's autobiography.
Comments
Posted by emilianis1 on July 25, 2008 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was surprised to know about Jairo a week ago.I was one of his frends while in Sonson.He went to the military,I went to the military.He stayed,I left when the time was over.
It is great to see this example.I look forward to meet him and talk about a lot of things that happened while we were at school in Sonson.
Some of my friends have passed away.Some others have been succeded like Jairo.
Keep up the Good Work,my dear friend
Posted by angelita43 on May 12, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don jairo me llena de alegria saber que existen personas como usted puestas por Dios en esta tierra para llevar un mensaje de esperanza ......Usted es un ganador y lo felicito.....pero lo que usted ha hecho no puede quedarse contado solo en su libro,sino que tiene que quedarse en la accion y educacion de muchas mentes jovenes que esten dispuestas a formar nuevos estilos de vida rescatando en cada momento esos valores que usted cultivo y que ahora ensenados a estos jovenes y adultos que quieran dar giros a sus vidas, trasciendan como lo ha querido Dios, Nuestro creador. Usted ha sabido interpretar su propia mision dada por Dios a su persona....sabe absolutamente que sin Dios no hubiera conseguido llegar a esos logros o superar dificultades, la prueba esta en que usted nisiquiera sabe porque Dios puso esos impulsos y deseos en su corazon en el momento correcto para que entrara donde tenia que entrar o saliera de donde tenia que salir.....Don Jairo cuanto lo admiro, quisiera entrevistarme con usted personalmente.Mi nombre es Sergio Gomez, Tel:407-334-4165, yo tambien soy colombiano, de Medellin.Vivo en Orlando,Florida.Mi deseo es poder hablarle a Ud de un sueno que he tenido y un proyecto para con la humanidad....a pocas personas se lo comento pero quiero contarselo a usted quiza usted me lo entienda y pueda colaborarme en hacer esto y mucho mejor de lo que pienso......no tiene que hacer mucho esfuerzo, pues creo que usted ya tiene la formula con todo lo que le ha tocado vivir......y creo que con mi proyecto su ejemplo y vivencias nunca moriran si las hacemos trascender con mis ideas y las suyas....Necesito de personas que crean de verdad en Dios a cada minuto y que accionen sus vidas queriendo cumplir suenos para que el trabajo se haga mas rapido y efectivo y mucho mejor con la inspiracion de Dios por el frente.....No busco riquezas solo el cumpliminto de mi deber y de mis suenos y hacer movimientos que ayuden a nuestra humanidad a ser mas clara, mas educada , mas limpia, mas amante de la misma humanidad.....busco crear conciencia para que hayan circulos de buenos ejemplos cada vez mas fuertes.....Y siento que no puedo callar ante tanta necesidad de Amor por nuestro Planeta y sus habitantes incluyendo los animales....deme una llamadita o escribame a:sergiogomez@earthlink.net...........lo estare esperando, en realidad no soy yo,es el mismo Dios,siento en mi corazon que El me lo ha puesto en el camino...pero ante todo no se sienta comprometido a nada si no quiere....las cosas de Dios actuan con cristalinidad y con plena libertad,asi como hizo al mundo libre y hermoso....saludos a su familia y digales que pronto los conocere y usted y ellos conoceran la mia, soy yo ,mi esposa Angela y mis tres hijos .....Amen,Lo espero...sergiogomez@earthlink.net
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