'He's In Our Soul': Sisters Remember Their Dad's Legacy On Father's Day

This Sunday, as sisters Estela and Candy Reyes mark Father's Day, they will be thinking of their dad, Juan, who died in 2010.

Juan was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. in the 1940s, eventually settling his family in El Paso, Texas. Estela, 50, and Candy, 46, adored their dad, and at Storycorps in 2012, they recall the lasting influence he had on them.

"Papito era lo máximo," Estela said. "He was everything to us."

Growing up in El Paso, Estela remembers Juan was a "tough guy."

"Very formidable. Very strong-willed. Very commanding figure. His nickname was el canillón — the big-wristed man," she said. "I remember being a little kid — Papi just reaching down and lifting me up like I was tissue paper, this delicate little weightless thing."

Juan was diagnosed with diabetes in the early 2000s, and when he began experiencing complications, Estela said, he transformed from el canillón to "a little weak bird."

"About four days before our dad died, he was still able to speak," Estela said. "And he let me know that he was very hungry. But you know, how do you make a healthy, strong meal for somebody that you know is in incredible pain?"

Faced with the important task of feeding him, Estela surveyed the ingredients in her parents' home. She discovered a package of shrimp and some black beans — "Mexican comfort foods," Candy said – and set about making a batch of shrimp enchiladas.

"I don't think I've ever diced anything so slowly and with so much care," Estela said. "And when I took that little plate, I remember physically feeding him, watching him close his eyes with each spoonful."

Though enfeebled and in pain, Juan summoned the energy to express his satisfaction.

"He looked up at me and gave me a little wink ... and he gave me that little gesture that he would make when he liked something," Estela said. "He'd make a tight fist and just sort of shake it next to his chest with one good blow to show that it was so good, it was so rich. There didn't need to be any words. And I was so happy.

"The next day, that was when he slipped into his coma. And he never spoke to us again."

Juan died on May 23, 2010. "We knew that although he was going to pass, he wasn't really leaving us," Candy said. "He's in our soul."

Audio produced for Morning Edition by Mia Warren.

StoryCorps is a national nonprofit that gives people the chance to interview friends and loved ones about their lives. These conversations are archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, allowing participants to leave a legacy for future generations. Learn more, including how to interview someone in your life, at StoryCorps.org. [Copyright 2019 NPR]