Montrealers have big hearts

This special article is dedicated to Victoria Poller www.victoriapoller.com, Jacksonville Christian Living Examiner http://www.examiner.com/user-quailit2 , who wants to see more positive articles from me. Ms. V, I cannot promise all positive articles as I have spent my entire life being a champion of the underdog, but I will give you this one.

Elenor Diaz and her husband have known long separations due to financial situations. The couple come from Manilla in the Philippines. The Diaz's had to move from their home to Israel to find work. In doing so they had to leave their two children behind. This is a heartbreaking situation for any parent to go through. But it has happened to Elenor twice.

The couple had a baby in Israel and the three of them moved back to the Philippines. However, life was still too financially difficult for them. Once again Elenor had to leave her beloved family behind, to come to Canada and make enough money to send for the entire family to live as a united family once and for all in Montreal.

Life was still hard for this immigrant in Montreal, Elenor had to work three jobs, one in a hotel, one in a senior's residence and one as a nanny to save up the money she needed to bring her family to Canada.

It took her four years to do it. Finally this Christmas was the day she was waiting for. She had all the gifts ready for her husband and children under the tree. She has sent the money to the travel agency in Manilla to book the flight to Montreal for her family. She couldn't wait. It was going to be the best Christmas ever.

Imagine the horror and the mental anquish she felt when she found out that she had been robbed. The travel agency in Manilla keep her money. Her family went to the airport on Christmas Day and they had no flight reservations. The travel agency stole her money and since she paid cash and not by credit card, she could not get her money back. Since then the travel agency owners fired their staff and closed the business. They are nowhere to be found.

CTV Montreal aired her story and not long afterward she got an anonymous donation for the airfare for her family. Elenor Diaz was overjoyed, her dreams of a future with her family in Montreal was no longer quashed, this donor made it all worthwhile again.

It turns out the donor was a Montreal businessman, Larry Modafferi, who owns a money-wire service in Cote Des Neiges. He paid close to $5,000 to get the Diaz's to Montreal. Larry was interviewed and stated that he was the grandson of immigrants who scrimped and saved to get to Canada and who worked very hard while they were over here to bring the family over. He understood what Elenor Diaz was going through and he just wanted to help.

Elenor is now united with her family here in Montreal where they will be living in her apartment. They children are seeing snow for the first time in their lives. Elenor thanks Canadians for their good hearts. She is so happy to be living in Canada and in Montreal. Elenor said, "I want to give a hug and embrace to Canadians," she said. "Because they don't know me but they don't hesitate to help me."

Source:

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101229/mtl_diaz_101229/20101229/?hub=MontrealHome

If you go to the website provided you will get a video-clip of the story