Since arriving in South Florida last December from Colombia, Diana Bustamante and her family have endured the hardships of navigating a new country without speaking English or having relatives or friends to guide them.

Bustamante, her husband and two sons lived in hotels for nearly 20 days after they arrived in the United States, keeping most of their personal belongings in the car.

“Coming to this country without any knowledge or anything, it was very complicated,” Bustamante said. “Being immigrants, it was very difficult. People took advantage of us.”

Bustamante’s life centers on caring for her 14-year-old son, Juan Luna Bustamante, who was born premature after only 31 weeks and has cerebral palsy. He’s a freshman at Coral Gables High School.

Diana Bustamante doesn’t have much time for a paying job, but occasionally she cleans homes to make extra income for her family. Her husband, Cesar, and older son, Nicolas, 23, work to pay the rent and bills. Nicolas is a busser at a tacqueria. Cesar does maintenance and repairs on computers.

Her daily routine begins with waking up early to prepare Juan’s breakfast and lunch. She bathes and clothes him, brushes his teeth, and prepares him for school. Every night, she watches television and makes the family dinner. At 8 p.m., she prepares him to go to sleep.

Throughout the week, she takes Juan to therapy sessions and medical appointments.

“I am his eyes and feet,” she says. “I do everything with him.”

In Colombia, Juan’s education was a concern for Bustamante.

“He could not attend school in Colombia,” she said. “He fell behind in school because schools never wanted to accept him.”

Upon arriving in Miami last December, she was unsure about Juan’s next step. She didn’t know where to put him in school or to find proper medical care.

Eventually, Dyan Perez, the education support specialist for Parent-to-Parent Miami, a nonprofit that specializes in helping families that include children with special needs, contacted her. Perez began to work closely with Bustamante and her son. She sympathized with their struggles and also noted their resiliency.

“They are both fighters,” Perez said. “Diana is always happy and hopeful that things will get better for them. Juan is always willing to help others despite his physical limitations.”

Perez assisted them in enrolling Juan in school and applying for healthcare. She guided them in adapting to their new surroundings.

She reminded Diana that her son’s condition and wheelchair should not impede him from receiving a proper education.

“She would call me to help, and I would think, ‘How could it be possible that this person is calling me and willing to help?’ ” Bustamante said. “For me, it was such a beautiful experience.”

Currently, Juan is in ninth grade at Coral Gables High School. He is tutored in English online because he struggles to understand in school. His favorite subject is math, but overall he is struggling with classes. He hopes to become a mentor for other children when he grows older and to build a hospital for children like himself.

“There was so much willingness of people that wanted to help my son with his education,” his mother said. “Really, I have never seen so much help. Now he can attend school in his wheelchair, and there are no obstacles for him.”

A holiday wish

Many years of lifting Juan into the car and onto wheelchairs have taken a toll on Diana’s physical health. Now, Juan has become too heavy for his mother to carry him. His brother and father are both at work, so are usually unavailable.

From Wish Book, Diana would like a ramp and mobility carrier or a lift for her son’s wheelchair. It would facilitate trips to doctor appointments and physical therapy sessions.

Perez, the support specialist, recommended the Bustamantes for the Miami Herald’s Wish Book holiday giving program after realizing the difficulty the mother has in lifting Juan off the bed or into the car.

“She’s a very involved parent, always putting her son’s needs ahead of herself,” Perez said. “A ramp and a lift for her car would help with the constant lifting, which is causing her back problems.”

Bustamante says that her son’s wheelchair gives him a sense of freedom and independence. The modification would make transportation more accessible for him.

“The doctors always said he would never be able to walk or even lift a finger … almost in a vegetable state. I never listened to those words,” Bustamante said. “I have always fought for him. I have always wanted the best for him.

“Like any mother, I want my child to forge his own future and destiny.”

How to help

Wish Book is trying to help hundreds of families in need this year. To donate, pay securely at MiamiHerald.com/wishbook. For information, call 305-376-2906 or email wishbook@miamiherald.com. (The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans.) Read more at MiamiHerald.com/wishbook.

This story was produced in conjunction with FIU’s South Florida Media Network

This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 7:00 AM.