Maria Santaiago

"Love, respect, communicate or you will strike out on life"

Name: Maria Santaiago

Age: 49

Family: Four boys, two grandchildren and my husband, Jose

City of residence: Corning

Occupation: I use to be an assistant chef in the Bay Area. Then I was a housewife. In 1996, doctors told me I had neuropathy, a nerve disease that affects the muscles. Now I spend what time I can trying to minister to people with serious issues in their life.

You aspire to be...: Someone others can talk to.

Hobbies, interests: Taking care of my roses, cactus. I love being outdoors watching the humming birds come right to my flowers.

Tell us about a life-changing experience: Since being sick, I, my husband, my family, we have learned to love passionately.

What is something unique about you? I can love unconditionally because I have Jesus in my heart.

Who do you most admire and why? Jesus. He is my stronghold in life.

What brought you/family to this area? I didn't want to raise my kids in the city. I wanted them to know the country life and someone we knew told us about his property in Corning and said we could live there.

What's your guilty pleasure? Chocolate, bread, the love of life.

Favorite places to go in the area? I love going to the Martini Plaza. It is very peaceful. I listen to the fountain and the birds and I don't even notice the cars going by. It is the perfect place to cry or laugh.

What is the best advice you have ever received? My advice: Love, respect, communicate or you will strike out on life.

Most embarrassing moment: Because my hearing isn't so good, I didn't understand what I ordered from a waitress one time at a Chinese restaurant. The meal showed up and I wanted to know what in the world it was and the waitress said, "That's what you ordered." I had to reorder because I couldn't eat it.

If you were going to donate time/money locally, where would it go towards? Corning Christian Assistance

Favorite food: Fish. I am passionate for fish. It is so good.

Closest you've been to a famous person: I can't be positive, but I'm pretty sure I saw Snoop Dogg at a gas station once during a road trip we took.

Favorite musical group and why: Pedro Infante. He was a singer long, long time ago. His music was beautiful. He was killed when he was very famous.

Favorite movie and why: "Avatar," I could still be myself and be the blue guy running and jumping through the forest. To fly that creature through the sky. I've watched it 100 times.

Contact Cindy Monroe at 824-5464 or cmonroe@tcnpress.com.