2016 Jose Barrera

JOSE ROBERTO BARRERA

Organ and Cornea Donor

Age 27 ~ Los Angeles, CA

Donated on 03/22/2012

at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

Honored by onelegacy.org

Jose was born in México on June 22, 1984 and came to live in Los Angeles, CA when he was 15 years old.  Jose was the oldest of three children and always loved school.  One of his goals was to study to be a psychologist.  As an adult, he became an activist, a defender of immigrant and worker’s rights.  He fought for better working conditions for day laborers and for those who worked in car washes. One of his many achievements was the unionization of three car washes in Los Angeles.  His final fight for justice was stopping the eviction of many families from their homes.  On March 19, 2012, Jose was found unconscious in the snow while skiing with friends. When OneLegacy approached Catalina and her family about donation, they felt helping others after death would be the best way to honor Jose’s legacy since advocating for others was his life’s work.

Jose’s Story

Jose Roberto was born in México on June 22, 1984 and came to live in Los Angeles, CA when he was 15 years old.

Jose was the oldest of three children and always loved school.  One of his goals was to study to be a psychologist.  As an adult, he became an activist, a defender of immigrant rights and worker’s rights through organizations, such as, Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA) and SAJE.  He fought for better working conditions for day laborers and for those who worked in car washes.  One of his many achievements was the unionization of three car washes in Los Angeles. His final fight for justice was stopping the eviction of many families from their homes.

As many of his colleagues shared, “Jose lived for social justice.  Everything he did, every stride that he took was for equality, justice and fairness for everybody.  When it came to his family and friends, he was caring, loving and jovial.  He touched and changed so many lives.”

On March 19, 2012, Jose was found unconscious in the snow while skiing with friends.  Jose’s mother, Catalina Barrera, stated, “He died doing what he loved doing best.  Jose loved extreme sports and one of his dreams when he was he child was to be a football player.”  When OneLegacy approached Catalina and her family about organ, eye and tissue donation, they felt helping others after death would be the best way to honor Jose’s legacy since advocating for others was his life’s work.

Because of Jose’s donation and her love for her son, Catalina became a OneLegacy “Embajador”.  “When Jose died, he left a huge empty hole that I could never fill but for whatever reason he also left me this tremendous mission to continue in his memory.  Being involved with OneLegacy and Donate Life has helped me deal with Jose’s absence by sharing our story of donating his organ and tissues and saving lives.”

Catalina shares Jose’s story at the Mexican consulate and health fairs as well as participates in the Donate Life Run/Walk and Rose Parade float in his memory.  She not only spreads the word about organ, eye and tissue donation but also shares how Jose saved the lives of six people by donating his lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and heart as well as improving the lives of others through his cornea donation.

“Everything that I do now is in memory of this beautiful person that Jose was and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to know the giving human being that he was and continues to be through his donation.”