The dream of Concepción Gutiérrez is to give his son Concepción Iván greater opportunities than the ones he had in his hometown of Jinotega, Nicaragua, where he worked in the fields and raised cattle half a lifetime ago. Fulfilling that dream has been limited by health problems.

Gutiérrez, 72, is the single father of 9-year-old Iván, as the boy prefers to be called, a great responsibility when it comes to taking care of his health and his son’s future.

Iván’s mother is Ukrainian and lives in Nicaragua.

Gutiérrez’s immigration process was straightforward 34 years ago, when he was granted political asylum in the United States after having been part of the Contras, a peasant guerrilla movement that confronted Sandinismo.

Of humble origin, he worked as a farmer in Nicaragua and went on to work in construction in the U.S. but had to take an early retirement because he had diabetes.

His monthly income does not exceed $800, barely enough to cover the rent for a Hialeah Housing Authority apartment, which he was recently awarded after spending seven years on the waiting list. But there are many material needs in this home.

In addition to his diabetes, Gutiérrez has cardiovascular problems. A year ago, the doctor recommended catheterization to improve his cardiac function, but he has postponed it for fear that “something” could happen to him during surgery and leave his son alone in this country.

“I feel very tired, but who can assure that in a surgery, I won’t die and my child will be abandoned? I have to guarantee many things. I plan to go to Nicaragua when the school year is over to see if I can leave Concepción there or bring one of my older daughters with me,” said Gutiérrez.

Six months ago, they were evicted along with six other families from a building in Little Havana. They were in shelters until they were given the Hialeah apartment where they live today, but they lost all the furniture and other belongings that they had in their previous home.

“I had to leave behind everything in my apartment — my bed, my furniture. I didn’t even bring a cup with me,” he said.

They do not have a television, furniture, electrical appliances, tableware, pots or a bed.

“We need all that is needed in a home. I need everything,” explained Gutiérrez.

Iván is a young man full of desire to study and learn. His father considers him very intelligent, especially in mathematics, but he is limited by his circumstances. He doesn’t have a computer where he can study and do his homework, and his knowledge of English is limited. His dad doesn’t speak the language and can’t help him practice it.

“School is difficult because I don’t know much English,” the youth said. “I need a backpack, a computer, a television.”

His father says, “These are details that make the child fall behind in his studies, but I came here mainly for the child, so that he can study in this country, and I can’t leave him halfway.

“I don’t know of another country better than this one in terms of helping people,” he said.

The Gutiérrez family was nominated for the Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald Wish Book by Barbara Salem of S.T. E. P.S. in the Right Direction Inc., a nonprofit whose services include coaching grandparents and caregivers in parenting skills. She said she nominated him because of the emotional and economic difficulties that Iván has since his mother is not involved in his upbringing.

“He doesn’t have the tools to succeed in school and his father is sick, but he doesn’t want to have surgery for fear that something will happen to him and his son is left alone in this country,” Salem explained.

How to help

To help this Wish Book nominee and the more than 100 other nominees who are in need this year:

▪ To donate, use the coupon found in the newspaper or pay securely online through www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook

▪ For more information, call 305-376-2906 or emailWishbook@MiamiHerald.com

▪ The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans

▪ Read all Wish Book stories on www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook