2021 Portrait Series

Essential farmworker Pablo Barrera, 67, poses for a portrait while planting organic cantaloupe at Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, California on Tuesday, June 9, 2020....

Essential farmworker Pablo Barrera, 67, poses for a portrait while planting organic cantaloupe at Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, California on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Pablo Barrera has worked this farm, all 2,000 acres, for more than 20 years. He’s 67 and dresses like a ranchero. His belt buckle is big and shiny, and the brim on his hat turns up sharply on the sides. He tucks his plaid shirt tight into his jeans. These days he wears a mask, too. Barrera is one of the 400,000 California agricultural workers who feed the state and the nation. The vast majority of these workers are undocumented; they have little option but to work. “At first, I was a little bit afraid,” Barrera says. “But from there I decided to work.” “Thank god nothing has happened to me. I have been free from all that pandemic, and I pray to God it stays that way as I move forward.”

Jonathan Persico, 41, who is a sheetmetal worker stands for a portrait while building the ventilation for a Covid-19 testing site in Berkeley, California. Friday...

Jonathan Persico, 41, who is a sheetmetal worker stands for a portrait while building the ventilation for a Covid-19 testing site in Berkeley, California. Friday June 12, 2020. Of working during the virus, Persico says, “Everyone knows what a carpenter or electrician is, but they don’t know what a sheet metal worker is. We do a lot of things. We build all the duct work that conveys all the air that you breathe. We’re conveying the air in the COVID test site to keep it clean. … It feels like being a part of history, really. … My fingerprints are on a job that will be sitting there for a long time.” Jonathan is one of many essential workers — people whose work was so essential that staying home and staying safe was not an option. While cashiers and food service workers might be called heroes now they are also risking the most and often make the least. It is also clear that the burden of this frontline work falls disproportionately to women and people of color. Essential work has always been essential but it’s taken a pandemic for many to recognize it as such. It remains to be seen whether we will continue to respect this work after the pandemic eventually fades — and moreover, whether we might offer essential workers more than heartfelt thanks.

Larry Cruz, 60, who is a USPS postal carrier poses for a photograph during his route in Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California on Wednesday, May...

Larry Cruz, 60, who is a USPS postal carrier poses for a photograph during his route in Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. On being an essential worker, Cruz says, “I feel like everybody is essential. This is our normal job. I don’t know that I can be considered essential. I just try to do my job. I’m not like a soldier protecting the country; I just deliver the mail.”

Manuela Garcia, 33, and Patricia Hodge,41, who are professional cleaners pose for a portrait outside a client’s house in the Mission District in San Francisco,...

Manuela Garcia, 33, and Patricia Hodge,41, who are professional cleaners pose for a portrait outside a client’s house in the Mission District in San Francisco, California on Thursday, July 30, 2020. On honoring essential workers, Hodge says, “The things we are doing, a lot of people don’t like to do it and we love to do it. It’s my pleasure to clean people’s house. It’s been three months since I’ve been stuck inside of my house doing nothing. I miss my clients. I miss the people. At this time we need to give people more love, more attention than before because life with people is important for us.”

Cashier Rafik Hamdallah, 35 poses for a portrait at Reno’s Liquor store on Saturday, May, 9, 2020 in the Dogpatch district of San Francisco, California....

Cashier Rafik Hamdallah, 35 poses for a portrait at Reno’s Liquor store on Saturday, May, 9, 2020 in the Dogpatch district of San Francisco, California. On working during a pandemic Hamdallah says, “When the neighborhood changes, we change. We add, every day, more stuff. … A lot of items are out of stock but we do our best to get what we can. I go pick up groceries at the wholesale market twice a day to keep everything in stock. It’s not easy because you have to wait in long lines, and then sometimes there is nothing there. It’s been a hard couple of months to find the products. To find flour and yeast. ... We feel like a family in this community. We do the best we can to support the neighbors and customers. I’m not there to just make money. I’m there to help people, too.”

Nurse Pauline Tran poses for a photograph at the testing site for Covid-19 at Laguna Honda Hospital in Midwood Terrace, San Francisco, California on Wednesday,...

Nurse Pauline Tran poses for a photograph at the testing site for Covid-19 at Laguna Honda Hospital in Midwood Terrace, San Francisco, California on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. On being an essential worker, Tran says, “I’m doing my part to help out the hospital as well as the community, just decreasing the spread and preventing the disease. Other people can decide ‘I’m gonna be at home and hide away and prevent the spread,’ but as essential workers we have to go out there and do our job and get the tasks done for the people that need it. Daily work is still needed, and there are people that go out there to get the work done and that is their duty.”

Bernard Lewis, 61, poses for a photograph on his recycling route for Recology in the Sunnyside neighborhood of San Francisco, California on Wednesday, June 17,...

Bernard Lewis, 61, poses for a photograph on his recycling route for Recology in the Sunnyside neighborhood of San Francisco, California on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. On working during the pandemic Lewis says, “I look forward to each and every day. Being able to go out and do something that the world is counting on. Everyone needs trash removed, otherwise things will get worse. If trash builds up, things can get really bad, so I feel really good deep down inside to be able to provide that.”

Essential worker and firefighter Tanesha Gibson, 33, poses for a photograph while working at Fire Station 17 in the Bayview district of San Francisco, California....

Essential worker and firefighter Tanesha Gibson, 33, poses for a photograph while working at Fire Station 17 in the Bayview district of San Francisco, California. Monday June 1, 2020. Of the coronavirus Gibson says, “No one knows who has it, who we’re gonna be around that has it, or if we’re gonna bring it to the department or get it from the department and bring it home to our families… It’s kinda hard … going to work and you don’t know if today is your day to get it.”

Law, Lawrence Barnes, 44, a basketball trainer from Chicago, posing in his rifle on July 26, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Barnes a member of MN...

Law, Lawrence Barnes, 44, a basketball trainer from Chicago, posing in his rifle on July 26, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Barnes a member of MN Freedom Fighters. He says, " If God wants me outside, I have to be there. I'm not afraid." Minnesota Freedom Fighters are bearing arms to help bridge gap between Minneapolis Police and community.

STO, Randy Chrisman, 29, a social worker from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 28, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chrisman a member of...

STO, Randy Chrisman, 29, a social worker from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 28, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chrisman a member of MN Freedom Fighters. He says, "I want to set an example for them to stop violence among young people on the streets. I want all kinds of violence to end.". Minnesota Freedom Fighters are bearing arms to help bridge gap between Minneapolis Police and community.

Fox, Larry K. Mitchell, 28, a carpenter from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 28, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mitchell a member of...

Fox, Larry K. Mitchell, 28, a carpenter from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 28, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mitchell a member of MN Freedom Fighters. He says "There is a lot of lawlessness out side. Someone has to get out. Those who live here feel safe when they see us. We are in the position of a bridge between the police and our community."

Step Child, Charles Thorstad, 44, an IT operator from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thorstad a member...

Step Child, Charles Thorstad, 44, an IT operator from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thorstad a member of MN Freedom Fighters. Wife: Erin Brennan, 49 (L) Doughter : Mila Duron, 13 (C)

Eagle Eye, O. Walker, 38, a job seeker from Minneapolis, posing in his gun on July 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, He says, "I think the...

Eagle Eye, O. Walker, 38, a job seeker from Minneapolis, posing in his gun on July 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, He says, "I think the streets need us. We need to protect our women, our families. We should be with them." Minnesota. Walker a member of MN Freedom Fighters.

Wolf, Ty Walker, 30, a transporter from Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.. Walker a member of MN Freedom...

Wolf, Ty Walker, 30, a transporter from Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on July 29, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.. Walker a member of MN Freedom Fighters.

Da Mayor aka MrNewz, 32, a musician from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on August 3, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mayor a member of...

Da Mayor aka MrNewz, 32, a musician from North Minneapolis, posing in his riffle on August 3, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mayor a member of MN Freedom Fighters. He says, "Helped found MFF because I wanted to make difference. I want to see chance and to be the chance. got tired of just fantasizing about it!"

This portrait series highlights athletes who have carved paths towards equality and excellence in women's sports as well as the next generation of women who...

This portrait series highlights athletes who have carved paths towards equality and excellence in women's sports as well as the next generation of women who are picking up their torches to continue the work. They're rising above adversity, defying stereotypes and collecting medals. Ibtihaj Muhammad is photographed at Disney Hall in Los Angeles, California. Muhammad was the first Muslim American athlete to wear a hijab at the Olympic Games. She vowed to set an example: "I'm hoping to change the image that people may have of Muslim women. We come in all different shapes, colors and sizes and we come from different backgrounds and we're productive members of society."

Los Angeles Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike is photographed in Los Angeles, California. Ogwumike has been the representative for WNBA players' fight for better pay. As she...

Los Angeles Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike is photographed in Los Angeles, California. Ogwumike has been the representative for WNBA players' fight for better pay. As she sees it, it's her job not only to help the women in her league get an appropriate share of the league's revenue but also to make sure the league is growing in the right ways.

Billie Jean King is photographed at The Langham Huntington hotel in Pasadena, California. "I think sports has a platform that we can help change the...

Billie Jean King is photographed at The Langham Huntington hotel in Pasadena, California. "I think sports has a platform that we can help change the world, make it a better place," she says. At 76, King hasn't slowed her pursuit of equality in sports and society.

Alix Klineman is photographed in Manhattan Beach, California. Klineman, who made the switch to beach volleyball in 2017, after playing indoors at Stanford and professionally,...

Alix Klineman is photographed in Manhattan Beach, California. Klineman, who made the switch to beach volleyball in 2017, after playing indoors at Stanford and professionally, showed how hard work has resulted in a near-flawless Olympic qualifying campaign.

Michelle Kwan is photographed at her family’s ice rink in Artesia, California. Kwan, the daughter of immigrants who left Hong Kong to raise a family...

Michelle Kwan is photographed at her family’s ice rink in Artesia, California. Kwan, the daughter of immigrants who left Hong Kong to raise a family and run a restaurant in Torrance, California, finished her career with nine U.S. titles, five world titles, and two Olympic medals.

Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone is photographed at Masterpiece Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, California. In 1987, Krone became the first woman to win...

Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone is photographed at Masterpiece Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, California. In 1987, Krone became the first woman to win a riding title at a major racetrack and six years later, she became the first woman to win a Triple Crown event. Now retired, Krone works with underprivileged children through her Junior Jockey Camp.

Ashleigh Johnson is photographed at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, California where she trains with the U.S. women's water polo team. Johnson...

Ashleigh Johnson is photographed at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, California where she trains with the U.S. women's water polo team. Johnson hopes to draw more Black women to aquatics.

Claressa Shields is photographed in Flint, Michigan. Shields, a world and Olympic boxing champion, speaks to school children regularly. "Sometimes it's hard for kids because...

Claressa Shields is photographed in Flint, Michigan. Shields, a world and Olympic boxing champion, speaks to school children regularly. "Sometimes it's hard for kids because they want to fit in and they want to be accepted by their peers. But when you want to be great you've got to be different."

Paralympian Scout Bassett is photographed at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, California. Bassett works with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, the organization that put her on...

Paralympian Scout Bassett is photographed at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, California. Bassett works with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, the organization that put her on the track, to fight for equality in sports. As an infant in China, she lost her right leg after being severely burned in a chemical fire. Bassett lived in an orphanage for years until she was adopted by an American family. She found herself not quite 8, living in a very small, very white town in Michigan. "When I found running, " she says, "it felt like all the thousands of chains that tied me down, all the no's I'd been told in my life were lifted."

Each of their stories was different, but common strains repeat: Of humility and generosity; of finding joy in the unpretentious; of a sharp mind disappearing...

Each of their stories was different, but common strains repeat: Of humility and generosity; of finding joy in the unpretentious; of a sharp mind disappearing into fog or a hale body betrayed by age. And, of service, in war or in peace, that often went unspoken when they returned home. In their final years, these veterans found their place at the Holyoke Soldiers??? Home in Massachusetts. And in their final days, as the coronavirus engulfed the home and killed more than 70, they found battle again. Seeking to capture moments of private mourning at a time of global isolation, the photographer used a projector to cast large images of veterans on to the homes as their loved ones are struggling to honor them during a lockdown that has sidelined many funeral traditions. An image of veteran Charles Lowell is projected onto the home he shared with his wife, Alice, for 30 years as she stands at left with her daughter, Susan Kenney, in Hardwick, Mass. Saturday, May 2, 2020. Lowell, a U.S. Air Force veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 78. Lowell, 78, was a missile guide technician and an IBM operations manager. Along the way, his life was littered with good deeds, the troubled teenager he???d take in, the hungry family he???d help with groceries, done with little notice or unmentioned altogether. ???He didn???t tell people things like that,??? his daughter Susan Kenney says.

An image of veteran Alfred Healy is projected onto the home of his daughter, Eileen Driscoll, left, as she looks out the window with her...

An image of veteran Alfred Healy is projected onto the home of his daughter, Eileen Driscoll, left, as she looks out the window with her sister, Patricia Creran, in Holyoke, Mass., Thursday, May 7, 2020. Healy, a U.S. Army Korean War veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 91. Healy loved corny jokes and adored his family. He devoured history and was quick with facts on U.S. presidents. He was humble. He won a Bronze Star, but his family only found out how decorated a soldier he was when he was gone. He was a longtime U.S. Postal Service employee who rose to become a town postmaster. He was sharp as a tack and liked to deem things ???snazzy??? or ???classy.??? On his last night, the nurses gave him chocolate ice cream and showed him photos of some young relatives. And by dawn, he was gone.

An image of veteran Constance ???Kandy??? Pinard is projected onto the home she grew up in with her sister, Tammy Petrowicz, left, and brothers, Paul,...

An image of veteran Constance ???Kandy??? Pinard is projected onto the home she grew up in with her sister, Tammy Petrowicz, left, and brothers, Paul, center, and Brian Driscoll in Florence, Mass., Thursday, May 14, 2020. Pinard, a nurse in the U.S. Air Force and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 73. Pinard had a life with struggles: A marriage gone sour, the pressures of raising two children on her own, family rifts that grew worse with an aggressive case of dementia. But there were so many joys, too: The miles she drove in her Jeep or flew in the air to reach new places as a travel nurse, the rank of captain she achieved, the thrill of meeting Barry Manilow, the musician she loved. Her sister Tammy Petrowicz remembers a woman overflowing with energy ???like the Energizer Bunny,??? who was 16 years older but ???still could run circles around me.???

An image of veteran James Sullivan is projected onto the home of his son, Tom Sullivan, left, as he looks out a window with his...

An image of veteran James Sullivan is projected onto the home of his son, Tom Sullivan, left, as he looks out a window with his brother, Joseph Sullivan, in South Hadley, Mass., Monday, May 4, 2020. Sullivan, a U.S. Army WWII veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus four days shy of his 100th birthday. Sullivan grew up with nothing and appreciated everything, a consummate gentleman who found joy in the small things, the Red Sox on TV, a cold Bud Light in his hand, a fresh tomato out of the garden. Sullivan was an artillery technician in the Army during WWII who won the Bronze Star. He had a mischievous side, as evidenced by the time his father told him he couldn???t play ball because he had to paint the garage. He obliged, painting it top to bottom, windowpanes and all. He was a liquor store clerk, a school custodian and a city councilman, a man who always beamed with a smile right up to the end of his life. Quiet, unselfish, inquisitive about others. ???How you doing, pal???? he???d ask. Whenever someone would ask him the same, he offered something similar: ???Never had a bad day.???

An image of veteran Stephen Kulig is projected onto the home of his daughter, Elizabeth DeForest, as she looks out the window of a spare...

An image of veteran Stephen Kulig is projected onto the home of his daughter, Elizabeth DeForest, as she looks out the window of a spare bedroom as her husband, Kevin, sits downstairs in Chicopee, Mass., Sunday, May 3, 2020. Kulig, a U.S. Navy veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 92. After saying goodbye to her father for the last time in person, Elizabeth slept in the spare bedroom upstairs for two weeks as a precaution against possibly infecting her husband. Kulig always had a smile on his face and hard candies in his pocket. The list of roles he played was long: veteran of World War II and Korea, devoted Boston sports fan, bingo caller, school dance chaperone, altar server, soup kitchen volunteer, Knights of Columbus member. ???I use the word fierce to describe him,??? his daughter says. ???He was really fiercely proud of his family. He was fierce in the way that he practiced faith and he taught it to our family and to all of us. Just fierce in the way he loved and protected the people that mattered to him.???

An image of veteran Chester LaPlante is projected onto the home of his son, Randy LaPlante, as he looks out a window with his wife,...

An image of veteran Chester LaPlante is projected onto the home of his son, Randy LaPlante, as he looks out a window with his wife, Nicole, and their sons, Evan and Blake, at their home in Amsterdam, N.Y., Tuesday, May 5, 2020. LaPlante, a U.S. Army veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 78. LaPlante had a knack for improving things wherever he went. He restored cars and could repair just about anything, and in the lives of his three children, he was the jack-of-all-trades father who knew how to make them smile. His son Randy remembered his father giving him ???bear rides??? around the living room, rubbing his beard against his little face and buying him a go-kart. Later, the elder LaPlante took his son under his wing and taught him about being a machinist, a career he holds to this day. ???I don???t know where I would be without him,??? LaPlante says.

An image of veteran Harry Malandrinos is projected onto the home of his son, Paul Malandrinos, as he looks out a window with his wife,...

An image of veteran Harry Malandrinos is projected onto the home of his son, Paul Malandrinos, as he looks out a window with his wife, Cheryl, in Wilbraham, Mass., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Malandrinos, a U.S. Navy veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 89. Malandrinos was a quiet man, but had many stories to tell: of fighting a war in Korea, of touring the U.S. as a band???s drummer, of four decades as a public school teacher. ???When he spoke, you listened, because he didn???t waste his words,??? his daughter-in-law Cheryl Malandrinos says. He always had a joke, was a master woodworker, avidly rooted for the Patriots, Red Sox and Bruins and would happily settle for ???Family Feud??? if his teams weren???t on TV. ???He was pretty much the working class guy that represents so many of us,??? Cheryl says.

An image of veteran Francis Foley is projected onto the home of his wife, Dale Foley, left, as she looks out a window with their...

An image of veteran Francis Foley is projected onto the home of his wife, Dale Foley, left, as she looks out a window with their daughter, Keri Rutherford, in Chicopee, Mass., Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Foley, a U.S. Army veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 84. Foley never learned to read music but could play any song by ear. He loved a cup of coffee and something sweet from Dunkin??? Donuts. He kept the nurses at the home laughing. He was fiercely protective of his family. Ask his family about the man they lost, and the words flow easily about the card-carrying union carpenter, Army veteran, devoted husband of 54 years and father of four. ???He was strong. He was funny. He was engaging. He was ornery. He was feisty,??? his daughter, Keri, says. ???He was still full of life. And then within days, he???s gone.???

An image of veteran Roy Benson is projected onto the home of his daughter, Robin Benson Wilson, left, as she looks out a doorway with...

An image of veteran Roy Benson is projected onto the home of his daughter, Robin Benson Wilson, left, as she looks out a doorway with her husband, Donald, in Holland, Mass., Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Benson, a U.S. Army veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 88. Benson whistled a lilting song throughout his life, one of the things imprinted on the minds of those who loved him, like the way he???d stir sugar into his morning coffee or holler for a visitor to return the minute they stepped out the door. His daughter Robin Benson Wilson calls them ???comfort sounds??? that signaled ???the world is good.??? He was a towering 6-foot-4. He made friends easily and often, always finding a familiar face wherever he went. He was a mechanic in the Korean War and it seemed like he could fix anything. With old age, his ability to whistle faded. But during a Christmastime visit by Benson Wilson to the Soldiers??? Home, her father managed to pucker his lips and offer a bit of that familiar tune one last time.

An image of veteran Emilio DiPalma, is projected onto the home of his daughter, Emily Aho, left, as she looks out a window with her...

An image of veteran Emilio DiPalma, is projected onto the home of his daughter, Emily Aho, left, as she looks out a window with her husband, George, in Jaffrey, N.H., Thursday, April 30, 2020. DiPalma, a U.S. Army WWII veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 93. DiPalma had gone off to war as a happy-go-lucky kid, but it didn???t take long for his Hollywood visions of battle to dissolve into the reality of watching friends die. After the Germans were defeated, DiPalma was sent to Nuremberg, where he made copies of documents detailing war crimes, watched over Nazis in their prison cells and stood guard beside the witness box in the courtroom where the evils of genocide were detailed. One time, he filled the glass of one of the most powerful Nazis, Hermann Goring, with toilet water. Back home in the U.S., he lived a life of humility, rarely talking about his service. ???He did all of this in World War II and we hardly knew about it,??? says his daughter Emily Aho.

An image of veteran James Mandeville is projected onto the home of his daughter, Laurie Mandeville Beaudette, as she looks out a window with her...

An image of veteran James Mandeville is projected onto the home of his daughter, Laurie Mandeville Beaudette, as she looks out a window with her son, Kyle, left, and husband, Mike, in Springfield, Mass., Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Mandeville, a U.S. Navy veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 83. Mandeville had a playfulness to him that never seemed to fade. With his grandchildren, he???d swim and wrestle and play basketball, even after he started using a wheelchair. He???d play cards with his daughter Laurie and, if she left the table, she???d return to find the deck had been stacked. She took to calling him ???Cheater Beater.??? He found joy in babies and dogs and for all his fun-lovingness, he imparted something deep in those who were close to him. ???He always made me feel like I was the most important person in the world,??? she says. ???We were best friends.???

An image of veteran Samuel Melendez is projected onto the home of his nieces, Janet Ramirez, right, and Mary Perez, as they look out a...

An image of veteran Samuel Melendez is projected onto the home of his nieces, Janet Ramirez, right, and Mary Perez, as they look out a doorway in Chicopee, Mass., Sunday, May 17, 2020. Originally of Puerto Rico, Melendez, a U.S. Army Korean War veteran and resident of the Soldier's Home in Holyoke, Mass., died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 86. Melendez would clam up and appear sad when someone would ask about his time in Korea. But he was affectionate and easygoing, a man who???d let a young relative have a seat on his lap or give them a dollar from his pocket, which made them feel rich. He loved the island of his heritage, Puerto Rico. He loved dominoes and family gatherings and would jump on a plane whenever someone needed him. When he became less independent, he went to live with his niece Janet and when he needed more help, he moved to the Soldiers??? Home, where she is a nurse???s aide. She lost her own father when she was young and as her uncle grew sicker, Ramirez slipped away to his room to hold his hand or to play Spanish music on her phone and put it to his ear. ???I felt like he was my dad,??? she says.