Before his wife, Mrs. Luisa Labandeira Pintos, the Councilor President of the Puente de Vallecas District Municipal Board, Mr. Borja Fanjul Fernández-Pita, the Mayor of Madrid, Mr. José Luis Martínez-Almeida and the president of CERMI Comunidad de Madrid, Mr. Óscar Moral Ortega, this morning we attended the opening of the Miguel Ángel García Oca Space.
With this emotional act we recall that, a little over two years ago, Miguel Ángel stopped being with us physically, leaving with us his spirit, his perseverance and work, and his desire to achieve the reality of inclusion and the elimination of differences. In the words of those who have participated, this small tribute places his name, forever now, at the very top of this park, the Cerro del Tío Pío, overlooking the entire city of Madrid, the mountains, and his second home: «his» Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury, «his» FIMITIC base in Spain, and «his» Association ASPAYM Madrid.
We want to repeat our own words from a year ago, when we found out that this space was going to bear his name, because they will continue to be valid as long as his team stays here.
We obviously celebrate this news. It is more than appropriate, more than deserved that it bears your name. Miguel Ángel García Oca’s space that leads to the Spinal Injury Foundation. To the José Rodríguez Rehabilitation Center. Down to the Residence of the Spinal Injured Miguel Ángel García Oca (we know you would tell us that the name is way too long!).
During all these last months of uncertainty and fear, we have wondered many times how your reaction would have been before all the events that have been happening. At no time have we doubted that you would have been with us at all times, and even we repeat ad nauseam that the fact that we have overcome this health crisis more or less gracefully is due to our strength, we cannot stop thinking, deep within our minds and before we go to sleep every night, that somehow you continue to take care of us from where you are.
We want you to know that we will not forget you, and that we hope that you are as proud of us, of our strength, of our path, as we are of having met you. Now we can feel, in some way, that we are following your path.
Caminante, son tus huellas el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino, y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino sino estelas en la mar.Antonio Machado
(Traveler, your footprints are the way and nothing else;
traveler, there’s no path, but it is made by walking.
As you walk the path is made, and then when you look back,
You wee the path that will not be trodden again.
Traveler, there’s no road but the wakes in the sea)
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