In Memory of Miss Teresa

When you send your child to daycare at six weeks old, more horrible thoughts go through your head than good. Until at a year and a half your son comes home bilingual, shouting out his ABC's, colors, shapes and numbers to at least eleven-"teen".

On Saturday August 16th, my son's daycare provider, teacher, friend, and trusted "second mom" away from mom was killed by a drunk driver in Mexico.

We left to go on vacation the same weekend, Friday July 24th. When we left the daycare that day she gave him a big hug and said "Go with me Jaxon, I will miss you too bad. You can fit in my suitcase, we will have a great time." his response was "OK". She hugged him (and he hugged her back) for what seemed like forever. I told her "have a safe trip and have a good time!" not realizing how ironic that statement would become.

When we returned from Vacation on August 1st, he returned to daycare that Monday anticipating seeing Miss Teresa to present her with the shells he had collected just for her. Only to find out he had 3 more weeks to wait. Her vacation was a little longer than ours....

Everyday for the past 2 weeks when we get out of the car in the morning, his first question is "Is Miss Teresa's vacation over?" I always assure him that "not today, but she will be back soon". When we drive up at the daycare in the morning...I have no idea what I am going to say. He is two and a half years old. He doesn't understand forever, eternal, everlasting.


At Jaxon's graduation ceremony from the 2 year old to the 3 year old class, Miss Teresa wrote Jaxon a letter. Telling him how she would always consider him one of her own and that she hoped everything he'd learned from her, would stay with him forever. She was sad to see him go, but excited for him at the same time. Knowing he was growing, learning and happy. She always spelled his name J-a-x-(heart)-n.





I am at a loss of words to this young woman's family and friends. I am at a loss of words to my two year old son who will not understand why Miss Teresa never came back from vacation and why he can't present her with the shells he found on the beach just for her. Daycare workers are a dime a dozen. Believe me, with two children that have been in daycare from birth until 5 years old, I've seen it all! This young woman was truly something special that God blessed my son with for a year and a half. She taught him things that he will carry with him for a lifetime. I am truly blessed to have had my son touched by her love and compassion. I will make sure that he knows who she was and what an impact she had on all of our lives.



God speed Teresa Aguilar-Vazquez. You will truly be missed.