Sergio Vega and Paula Durán were young Colombian spouses who decided to emigrate to the United States in search of new opportunities. They set out on the adventure with their daughters, ages 9 and 4, along with some family and friends.
After crossing the border on foot, they arrived in Concord, northern California, where they settled. A few weeks later they found out that their third child was on the way, and they were full of joyful anticipation.
According to an article in Semana magazine, Sergio Vega had to leave his country “after he began to receive threats from criminal groups in the region, who didn’t agree with the contributions this man, along with other partners, was making to the lives of young people and children through an organization and through sports.” Sergio was something of a public figure because he was a player of the Colombian national indoor soccer team.
A tumor and an emergency cesarean section
Thirty-four weeks into her pregnancy, during a prenatal check-up after several episodes of feeling ill, Paula was diagnosed with a four-centimeter tumor in her brain, preeclampsia, and pancreatitis. The doctors decided to perform an emergency cesarean section. Despite the high risk posed by Paula’s various afflictions, baby Juan José was born on November 28 last year, a “champion of life,” as his father calls him.