She'll be There

Hector Deases and D-dawg

The year was 1971 and I was about to learn firsthand about the power of perseverance and devotion.

It was all thanks to my mother, Felipa Deases and her desire to establish an organization dedicated to honor la Virgin de Guadalupe.

My mother was raised with a good Catholic education and her faith guided her to approach her pastor, Father Gregory Dean, with the idea of starting an organization of Guadalupanas at St. Theresa Parish in Woodsboro with the sole purpose of allowing prayerful ladies to show their devotion to Our Lady.

When the idea to create Guadalupanas was first rejected by Fr. Dean, my mom, led by her trademark stubbornness kept right on asking for permission to form the group.

She addressed the issue every time she had an opportunity and being active in her church, she had many opportunities. Each time she spoke with Father Dean, she’d say: ”We want,” and he’d say, ”We don’t need.”

After what seemed to be more than 100 attempts, Father Dean said to her, ”Felipa, if I don’t go ahead and give you my blessing, you’ll never stop will you?” She replied with a smile because she knew at that moment she was about to get what she’d been lobbying for all this time. She simply said, ”No, I’ll never stop.”

She had finally received permission with his blessing.

And so the Guadalupanas were born at St. Theresa Parish.

Every 12th of December, they would celebrate the Blessed Mother’s Day, holding a Mass and a party for her, never forgetting what she stood for. Because my birthday happened to be on December 11, my mom, (also president of the organization) made me an ”honorary” Guadalupana.

One day, the Guadalupanas decided it would be a momentous occasion for them to visit Mexico City and the Shrine of Our Lady. They began to have all kinds of fundraisers for the trip. And as the ”honorary” member, whenever there was work to be done, I was assigned to do it.

At times I’d get so frustrated with this, and I’d ask my mom, ”Why me?”

Her answer was always the same: ”One day you’ll need her. She will remember what you did for her today and she’ll be there for you tomorrow.”

Twenty-six years later, I moved to Victoria to reside near my brother and his family for medical reasons. One day his wife brought a dog home for me, a little Pekingese. At this point I was 43 years old and had not been around an animal in 30 years.

I explained the situation to them and assured them I respected their dog, but I didn’t think I could really care for him. They said they understood, but asked me to try my best.

That night, as I sat on my bed watching television, this four-footed beast jumped up my bed, placed his head on my lap and proceeded to sleep. Later in the week after work, I approached my bed with a sandwich in my hand and realized I had nothing to drink. I placed the plate on the bed and went back to the kitchen to get something. As I returned to my room, I couldn’t believe what I saw.

This beast was on my bed eating half of my sandwich. I stopped, threw my hands in the air and all I could say was ”OK, dog you win; I’m yours.”

With that, a relationship like no other began. I affectionately named him ”D-dawg.”

Between 1980 and 1987, I lost both of my parents. I experienced tremendous loneliness from losing the two most important people in my life.

By1997, I experienced such a low that I tried to end my life: I took 100 pills and spent time in a psychiatric hospital in Victoria.

One day as I was lying on my bed at home, crying and feeling sorry for myself, I suddenly opened my eyes and noticed D-dawg lying next to me. It seemed like he had tears in his eyes, too.

He gave me a look as if to say: ”You’re not alone. I’m here and you’re not going out on my watch, not if I can help it.”

At this point I suddenly realized this beast was actually my guardian angel.

In 1998 I was told I would lose my right leg. My first thought was caring for my D-dawg. As I was trying to figure out what to do, I could feel him saying:

”Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

In 2008, my other leg had to be amputated, and once again D-dawg was there with me. While I knew that this was to be a life-altering situation, it wouldn’t be a life ending one.

In time, I came to believe that if D-dawg had been with me the past two times I had needed him, then I knew he’d be with me once again.

After six months of therapy, I was walking again with the help of two prosthetics. This is a hard thing to accomplish, but possible if you have someone who believes in you, as I knew then that D-dawg did.

On New Years Eve of last year, my neighbor accidentally ran over D-dawg.

It was determined that his only hope was surgery. Surgery was going to be expensive and I couldn’t afford it.

The vet advised the best thing would be to put him to sleep, so he wouldn’t suffer.

I had a medical trip to San Antonio planned and asked if D-dawg could be kept alive until Monday so I could spend time saying goodbye to ”my son” and companion of thirteen and a half years, before he had to be put to sleep.

The doctor agreed.

As I entered my house after returning from San Antonio, I saw my Bible and started to blame God.

I decided that D-dawg would have as close to a human burial as possible, so before leaving for my trip, I had my friend dig a grave, we fixed a headstone and ordered a casket piece. I went to my doctor’s appointment.

As I was about to return from San Antonio, I went to the store to buy a religious candle to light at D-dawg’s funeral. Remembering that St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, I began to look for his candle. There was not one for St. Francis. I couldn’t believe it.

Then my eyes suddenly focused on one for Our Lady of Guadalupe. I purchased it. I reverently asked Mom and Our Lady to give D-dawg the strength to accept what I was about to do and to give me the strength to do it.

Thirty-minutes before I was supposed to leave I received a call from the vet. His voice sounded a little strange.

”Hector, I don’t know what’s going on, but D-dawg is drinking water, he’s eating, and he’s even walking,” he said.

All I could do at that moment was to scream into the phone and in an instant I remembered what Mom had told me years before: ”If you do for her today, she’ll do for you tomorrow.”

I cried all the way from San Antonio. The road was too long for me to wait and see D-dawg.

Although D-dawg is old, blind and going deaf, he is as healthy and happy as he was before his accident. We are both extremely happy. But most of all, we are indebted to my ladies and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

My story is dedicated to Mom (Felipa), Angelita, Celsa, Fela, Wally, Elvira, Ramona and others whom I may have omitted. These are my ladies. I love you and thank you.