The Life of José Hernandez

A tough up-bringing with a happy ending

By: Grecia Garcia

José Hernandez grew up in a 14-foot trailer in the scalding hot city of El Centro, California just 20 miles south of the Mexican border. A young man now, Hernandez remembers the sight of his parents day after day converting their kitchen table into their bed and having to share a twin bed with his older sister, Ale. This is the life of a man who valued his family, the joy of a full meal, and playing with his remote control truck (he was a Baja-off -Roading fanatic from a young age) after school. José Hernandez walks a different man now -- as a young successful PR Agent who seems to live the ultimate bachelor lifestyle.

Sitting crossed-legged in a velvet burgundy lounge chair at a local coffee joint in the Outer Sunset district in San Francisco, California. Hernandez sits and begins to recall the memories of a life filled with struggle.

 “First, I would wake up and wonder whether my dad would sell enough radiators to eat dinner that day. I also remember a lot of fighting between my mom and dad over money every morning” he says.

After a short stare, he looked into a blank space and after a few seconds of silence he seemed to recuperate. When speaking of his parents’ constant fighting over financial reasons, Hernandez still seemed to be emotionally affected.

photo credited by: Chico State Athletics

 “My dad used to sell radiators and my mom was an architect but stopped working after she had my younger brother. So as a child, my dad was the primary bread giver,” he says. Hernandez added that due to a single bread giver, his family suffered a great deal of financial discomfort. Hernandez adds that he was unable to contribute financially due to his athletic commitments out side of school.

As a stay-at-home mother, Anita was forced to quit her job to raise her four children. When asked about his mother Hernandez seemed to feel so much admiration for his mother but his voice also hinted a sense of resentment. “My mom is one of the smartest women I know and it makes me angry every time I think about her sacrifice for us. My mom was very successful (in her career) before she had us but she said she had to stop because my sister and I were too close together in age.”

 Hernandez felt his mother had the power to take his family from their difficult financial situation but felt short, “she seemed to give up, and lost confidence in herself,” he says. Due to his parent’s economical struggle over the years, Hernandez and his younger sister, Ale felt it was up to them to make it better.

Hernandez is currently a public relations agent for the Ford Dealership in San Jose, California. His job consists of dealing with the company’s Baja- Off-Roading trophy trucks and the exclusive and limited edition Ford Mustang Rouge -- a job he now calls his “dream job.” (As a child Hernandez would spend his afternoons with his remote control trucks). Hernandez reached the success he now holds through the help of his athletic scholarship at Chico State.

When asked about his parents’ trials and sacrifices prompted in his life decisions, he seemed to find a lot of enjoyment in speaking about his father and running. “My father has been a big inspiration to me. My dad would take me on runs when I was a little boy and he would enter me in local races,” he says.

His father, José Moron was a former Olympian runner for Mexico, and it was Moron who gave Hernandez the training tools to become an All-American runner and essentially receive a full ride scholarship to Chico State. Due to his athletic ability Hernandez was able to attend college where now has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a concentration in Marketing.

 “I love my job and I’m just thankful. Coming from a poor upbringing I have to say I’m still scared of being poor again. I always think about those times when I would pray to God to help me get out of that life, and it brings me to tears. I just want to work and work and be happy, finally,” he says.

"I remember both my sister and I would sleep on the top bunk and my parent would sleep on the bigger bed (He laughs in an awkward way). My parent slept on the kitchen table, which converted into a bed at night."