As a first-generation Mexican American born in the United States, a language barrier put Sam behind his classmates from the beginning. But it was his vision that really challenged him.
Sam’s family also struggled financially. No hay dinero (there is no money) was a common phrase in the Torres household. And that included money for better eye care and new glasses.
So, Sam’s parents did the best they could for their son, driving to Tijuana and Mexicali for less expensive vision care while Sam wore the same pair of glasses for years, fearful of ever breaking them.
Of course, one day that’s just what happened.
But thanks to a local optometrist office, who took the time to review Sam’s coverage as a young IEHP member, brand new glasses started the first positive ripple effect.
“When I put them on, everything looked sharper; I felt different and confident,” he said. “I could participate not just in school but in the game of life – that one moment created a ripple effect in my life.”
