Victim of Praise #2

Maya Garcia-Bacon endured one of life’s greatest tragedies. In 2007, her son, Kyle Robert, died at the age of 15 from a very long and tragic illness. After this senseless and backwards misfortune, Maya’s heart was broken and she was never the same. But she was not defeated. She did not wallow endlessly, allowing herself to become lost in her sorrow. Like it’s said, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” This is not only true of romantic love but of all loves. The love of a friend. The love of a brother. The love of a mother for her son. My next Victim of Praise is a mother who counts her blessings and knows that though much has been taken from her, much has been given.

Maya Garcia-Bacon is a Language Arts teacher at a Terrace Hills Middle School in Grand Terrace, smack-dab in the middle of this great Inland Empire. She is the mother of two adorable little girls, the newest addition being merely days old, and one late son, Kyle Robert. Upon her son’s death, of a reoccurring brain tumor, she started something that to this day has changed the hearts and wrists of many within our community. She has given bracelets made of small beads, each a different color.

You may be thinking, “What’s the big deal?” You would, of course, never say this out loud as it would seem callous and unfeeling. Don’t worry. It’s not a big deal. They are just beads after all. The same type that can be found at any craft store, dozens for only a few dollars. It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it represents that makes Maya and The Bracelet Project, as she calls it, so influential and inspiring.

The origins of these bracelets is a bit mysterious as the creator chooses to remain anonymous, referred to by Maya only as “The Bracelet Lady”. During Kyle Robert’s rosary service a friend gave her one of these bracelets as a gift and Maya instantly fell in love with the strong yet simple message it gave. The colors of these beads each represent a different type of cancer: pink for breast cancer, grey for brain cancer, red for blood cancer, and so on. Amongst this ring of colorful beads is a single charm. One we are all quite familiar with, the entwined ribbon that reminds all who see it that we are still searching for a cure. This ribbon is not meant to sadden us as a reminder of tragedy but to offer hope. Hope that we are getting closer. Amazing people are out there raising money, researching, experimenting, and drawing us all nearer and nearer to a day when we will no longer fear the loss of a friend, parent, sibling, Aunt, Uncle, grandparent, or child.

At first, Maya offered these bracelets as a thank you to family. Then she branched out to close friends and co-workers. Eventually, all who had touched the life of her son and all who had been touched by his precious life were given a bracelet. She has had to order them in mass quantities at times as the list of people continues to grow and grow. She wants Kyle Robert to be remembered; not as a boy with a sad story and a life that ended too soon but as a boy who smiled often, loved much, and filled those around him with happiness and hope, even now.

Through this project, Maya realized the extent of influence one life can have, especially on their community. “Kyle Robert is everywhere…even though he is no longer with us, I still love to talk about him,” admits Maya. He left his mark on the City of Grand Terrace and Maya has made it her mission to ensure that his memory lives on. She, like Kyle Robert, is seldom seen without a smile and her warm and generous nature influences all she meets.

Truth be told, it is not only Maya that I find to be influential but Kyle Robert as well. He lives on in our hearts and memories and reminds us that life is short. We should do all we can with it, living as if today is all we have. I know that is a major cliché. But cliché’s are cliché’s for a reason. They often prove to be overwhelmingly and breathtakingly true and yet we still manage to ignore them. Shrug off the idea that we may not see another gorgeous sunrise. Don’t let this happen to you. If you are lucky enough to live to some ripe old age or another, make sure you are able to look back and know that each day was lived to it’s fullest.

There is a brand new pocket park in Grand Terrace on the corner of DeBerry and Mt. Vernon with a bench dedicated to Kyle Robert’s memory. If you have a chance to visit this bench, take a seat, close your eyes, and let the sun shine on your face. Be thankful. You are here. You are alive and the world is your oyster. I don’t know what oysters have to do with life but you get the idea. Live.

-Age