the network for
Operation Pedro Pan

Eduardo Rogelio's Story

My name is Eddie Dulom. I was with Monsignor Brian O'Walsh from February 9, 1961, to the first week in December 1963. During that time and later years I was

blessed to have Monsignor as my father; yes, the only father I ever knew and

my best friend. The first week I was at the home we were sitting on the

porch, and he asked me about a discrepancy with one of my last names. I

explained the situation, and he immediately understood. A couple of days

later I asked him not send me out of Miami because I would run away, and he

smiled. Once I pulled a sneaky on Mr. Carrion and told him I was going to

spend the weekend with my grandmother, but I was spending it with a friend

from North Carolina. On Sunday night I came back not knowing one of my uncles had

called to see how I was and told Mr. Carrion my grandmother was in Cuba. Mr.

Carrion was not very happy with me when I came back and told me FATHER

wanted to see me. That was the first and last time I got a PALETAZO. I was

18 and that was a first for me, but everything he did was with respect and

love. To me he was the wisest and kindest man I had ever known. Another time

I asked him why a French kiss was sinful, and he smiled and said, “I think

you can figure that one out by yourself.” I always felt very at ease to come to

him with any problems or questions. Once I asked him why he had chosen to be

a priest, having a plane, a Mercedes, and wealth, and he said, “To serve

God.” Boy, did I learn a lot about him with that answer! He always had an open

door for all of us. We were talking one night, and he looked worried. Of

course I asked, and he told me two boys had gone into some mail boxes and

gotten in trouble, big trouble, but they were going to be released to his

custody and were coming to St. Raphael's. He said to me, “Eddie, they cannot get

in trouble again.” On Christmas Eve of 61 there were just a few guys going to

the dining room--all the others had gone to relatives’, and he looked at me and

said, “This is the first time I have seen you sad.” Boy, did he know me! Yes, I

was very sad missing my family.

He used to check every room every night to make sure everybody was there

and safe. Well, one night I came in at about 2:00 a.m., and he was waiting for

me. I asked if I was in trouble, and he said no, but you have to go to

confession in the morning, to which I answered that I could not be sorry

for what I was doing, and he gave me one of the wisest answers he could give

me, “Do it because you hurt God.” Wow, what a comeback!

On graduation night from Curley we took a picture together, and to my regret

that is the only picture I have of him and I. After graduation I went to

work for the Catholic Welfare Bureau as a messenger. I was at the main

office every day, and if I knew Father was there, I would say hello to

Lloydine, his secretary, and she would say, “He is very busy.” I would walk in

to his office anyway and say hello. He was never too busy to see me.

On the tenth anniversary of Operation Pedro Pan, Monsignor wrote an article

about my wife, my three children and I in the Voice newspaper about the accomplishments

of his Pedro Pan children.

Everything that there was to learn about love, honesty, integrity, loyalty,

and friendship, I learned from Monsignor. I hope someday the whole world

gives him credit for the magnitude of the project and the great job that he

did.

All Pedro Pans will always be grateful to him.

Thank you, Father

Love you forever, Eddie.