Girl Loses Father Suddenly After Leg Amputation, Mother's Death
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — Hazard Elementary School officials and classmates are rallying around a student, a cancer survivor, who lost her last parent just three days ago.
Fifth-grade student Jackie Angeles, who lost her leg to cancer after her mother died of melanoma six years ago, is back at school, volunteering in the library, just three days after her father suddenly died in his sleep Sunday.
"Like, you get your mind off of bad things," Jackie said of her desire to help out at school Wednesday, "read good books."
When Principal Nanci Cole first met her, Jackie was a first-grade student being treated for bone cancer at Children's Hospital Orange County. Jackie's right leg had to be amputated, but her father Alberto was by her side every step of the way.
"She is just 11 years old and she has gone through more tragedies in her young life than most people can even imagine," Cole said.
Jackie and her older brother, Alberto, now live with three older cousins. School officials like Cole want to help the family as much as they can.
"And I feel I want all of Southern California to know Jackie because she is so special," Cole said. "And even though tragedy has happened in her life, I want her to know life's not always about tragedy, that there are good people and good things that can happen."
According to CBS2/KCAL9 Reporter Michele Gile, checks made out to Jacqueline Angeles can be sent to Orange County's Credit Union, PO Box 11777, Santa Ana, CA 92711, Account #92603984, Routing #322281989.
