A Father’s Love, a Father’s Gift

For Roberto Loera, moving to the U.S. from Mexico was a dream come true. It meant new opportunity and providing a better life for his family back home. Settling in Colorado, he spent years working in construction and ski resorts to support his wife, Maria, and two sons, Roberto Jr. and Abel.

“His children were everything to him,” said Maria. “His family meant the world to him.”

But shortly after his family was able to join him in Colorado, Roberto died of a brain tumor at the age of 47. Just two weeks after he earned his U.S. citizenship, one of the proudest days of his life.

“I tell my children that their father is gone, but he left them a chance for a future that many others don’t have,” added Maria.

When Maria and the boys received U.S. visas to come to the U.S., Roberto shared the good news with Leila Martinez. She is staff member in State Farm Agent Will Comerford’s office.

Knowing that taking care of his family was Roberto’s number one priority, Leila asked him if he had ever thought about life insurance. She explained how it would protect his family if anything ever happened to him.

He bought a life insurance policy that day for less than $20 a month.

“People always think, ‘It’s not going to be me,’” said Leila. “Roberto didn’t think it was going to be him. But he got life insurance anyway to protect his family.”

About a year after his family joined him in Colorado, Roberto began having headaches. They grew worse every day. Doctors discovered the headaches were the result of a dangerous brain tumor and they removed as much of it as possible. Roberto went back to work, but nine months later the tumor returned. Even worse, it had spread.

The doctors gave him just a few months to live. There was nothing more they could do for him.

Thanks to the life insurance Roberto bought before their arrival, Maria and the boys were able to stay in the U.S. while she looked for work. Money from the policy helped pay for funeral costs, medical bills and day-to-day expenses. It even helped Maria set up college savings accounts for the boys.

“Roberto’s life insurance was such a blessing,” says Maria. “It’s something every family should have.”