When I asked Tony to tell me something he has overcome or succeeded at, he looked me straight in the eyes, smiling wide, and said,” Mija, I’ve got plenty of stories for you.”
Growing up in the beautiful state of Jalisco, Mexico. Tony learned a lot of valuable lessons. A few are having a good work ethic, being humble, showing compassion, and being thoughtful of others.
He grew up helping his father at his ranch. He would wake up after his father at around 4 am to milk the cows and then would go on his own routes to sell sugar cane. Above his work, he had to attend school. Once he finished selling the sugar canes for the day he would only have time to go home and either shower or eat. Most of the time he chose to eat because food was something they didn’t always have.
Tony lived that way every day of his life until he dropped out of middle school and dedicated his time to working and uplifting the family. He stated, “All 7 men in our home worked. The 5 women in our household also worked by providing the meals and a clean house. It was something we appreciated greatly. We worked as a team.”
The challenge Tony had to face a few years after dropping middle school was leaving his family to live the “American Dream.” His older brother Jose had crossed a few months before him and once he was settled he promised to help them cross over. The day finally came for Tony and a few of his brothers. They would be traveling via Coyote.
Tony described the trip as “extremely dangerous, horrendous, and unforgettable.” He said, ” My siblings and I got lucky, we all made it to Texas, and witnessed how some lost their lives along the way.”
Once in the U.S. Tony realized that there was no going back. He had to take the opportunity that was given to him and make the best of it. “I looked at it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I made it, and now I needed to put in the work to stay,” Tony said.
Tony spent a few days in Texas, then moved to California, Arizona, and finally to Dakota City, Nebraska. Tony worked extremely hard to learn English while he worked in construction. He mentioned, “English was hard for me and till this day I can’t speak it the way I want to, I still struggle, but I don’t and won’t give up.”
Tony became a citizen during his early years in the U.S. along with most of his brothers and future wife. He remembers meeting her at a concert. Nancy said, “I remember seeing him and instantly feeling a connection, but he was the life of the party and I was more reserved.” Even with their differences, Tony was able to spark with Nancy. She would later become a greater part of his life.
Tony will always remember the day he became a citizen and how hard he studied for the test. “I would study like crazy, any chance I would get I studied,” Tony said. The best part is that both Nancy and Tony became citizens at the same time. “I remember days before the test we studied together, it took us back to when we were in school. Both of us struggled to study, it was something we hadn’t done in a long time,” Nancy said.
When they became citizens they worked in a couple of jobs together until they married and had to work different jobs. Nancy settled as a Custodian at East Middle school and Tony settled for Northwest Iowa Pork. He currently works in Quality Control. Tony stated, “I love my job. I adore my family. I have all I could ever ask for and more.”
“I have my parents and siblings to thank for always being supportive of my decisions. I did the big move thinking of my family’s future. I feel greatly fulfilled that I can provide for them and my own family. My sacrifice was worth it and I don’t need anyone to tell me that, I know and feel it myself. Hard work pays off. Being humble is key to that, always.”
tony Solorzano
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