punishment, but to never leave his son.
Despite Jose’s criminal record that includes disorderly conduct, multiple DUIs, and previous assault convictions, according to Elsa, Jose was also known for helping everyone
that crossed his path, however, whatever redemptive qualities
Jose had, the monstrous act makes all other
conversation mute.
“Speaking with family and friends
has been very hard for the
immediate family,” said Elsa.
“There has been no words on
how to explain nor how my
parents feel, how my sister,
how our children feel and I
feel. Family has been reaching out to express support to
us as a family. It hurts even
to say my full name Elsa
Valenzuela.”
Elsa says she always worries
in the middle of conversation to be asked about her
brother, knowing she cannot
defend him and the brother
she knew couldn’t have done
such a thing.
“When speaking with my
brother’s friends, they say
they cannot believe it,” Elsa
said. “They say ‘how can this
happen your brother was always
so helpful, so caring and always
there for everyone?’ They say ‘there is
no other way this could of happened, but
drugs and alcohol was to blame’. Family friends say they are
with us and telling our family that they know what type of
family ‘we were’ because we are a ‘destroyed family’ trying
to gather pieces, and hope to become the ‘united family’ we
were, once upon a time.”
physically and emotionally. The family is looking to restore
it to its previous conditions and sell it, but they realize it
may be a futile effort. Jose’s parents have relied on their
relationship with God, even in the midst of wondering how
any of this could have happened. If there is any message the
Valenzuela family wants everyone to know, it is the danger
of drugs, especially methamphetamines. If one family can
be saved, by bringing the awareness meth and the extreme
it can lead to, for the Y