Emilia Ibarra, 59, Coachella
Twenty- two years ago, Emilia Ibarra immigrated to the United States from Mexico, putting down stakes in Fresno and giving birth to a son, Joshua. Eager to familiarize herself with her new country, she took English language courses as she raised her son as a single mom. Three years later, she and Joshua moved to Coachella, where she worked first as a massage therapist at a resort in La Quinta and later did volunteer work to assist workers in the region without legal status.
On Mondays, Ibarra would read the Bible with friends, and every Sunday she attended Our Lady of Soledad Church with her son. Ibarra was “very close to her faith,” Joshua said.
Well- known in the community, Ibarra helped local migrants by providing them with food and secondhand clothes and took part in charity events at her church. Cheerful and vibrant, she performed dances from her homeland at Riverside County’s annual date festivals.
Joshua remembered his mother opening her door to a family going through hard times and sheltering them for a month for free. For those at nursing homes unable to go to church, she would bring bread and wine for communion.
In her downtime, Ibarra loved watching Korean soap operas with Spanish subtitles on television. She even added “Salaheyo” — “I love you” in Korean — to her vocabulary.
Joshua said his mother always made time to support him. She cheered him on when he ran cross- country, took him to Mass when he graduated from high school and swelled with pride when he was accepted to Cal State San Bernardino.
Ibarra’s health declined in recent years, first a stroke and then a bout of breast cancer. She also had difficulty breathing because of bronchitis and carried an inhaler.
In late April she contracted COVID- 19, likely from her son, who worked as a caregiver for people with disabilities in a nursing home. During Joshua’s self- quarantine after he tested positive, Ibarra took care of him but showed symptoms herself after just one day.
Ibarra began having trouble sleeping and catching her breath in early May and was admitted to Eisenhower Medical Center. She died May 28 at age 59. She is survived by her son.