Alma Carolina Cervantes

My name is Alma Carolina Cervantes. I was born on April 4, 2007. I heard God call me on May 24, 2023 so I went with him. My parents are Frank Cervantes and Tina Pena. I have one sister, Esperanza Catalina Cervantes, everyone calls her Espy. My dad’s family includes Danny Cervantes and his wife, Lupe and kids Daniel and Felisha, and Michael Cervantes and his wife Luanna, kids, Andrew and Marcus. My mom’s family is my papa Manuel Pena Jr., guela Norma Pena, and Uncle Rolando “Ro” Pena.

I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. My family owns a ranch in Guerra, Texas. That is in South Texas. I spend a lot of time there in the summers and during breaks. I like spending time at the ranch because I get to see my grandparents and I get to drive around the ranch. We have cattle on our ranch and I get to drive the truck around the ranch and feed them. Sometimes my uncle drives and I feed the cows. I have also gone hunting with my Uncle Ro. He says I have not killed anything because I talk too much and make too much noise. My sister has killed deer on our ranch and I have helped process the meat. We make sausage and tamales with the meat. My Papa says I drive better than my mom.

I like playing video games after school (sometimes during too). My favorite games are Minecraft, Sally Face and the Sims 4. I like minecart because I am teaching myself to speed thru the fame and to do it faster every time. The lore in Sally Face is so interesting to me. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I play Sims 4 when I want to build houses and fix the landscaping.

Another thing I like to do is watch YouTube videos. Some of my favorite people to watch are Smii7y, Kryozgaming, Jschlatt and Quackity. I’ve been watching these people since elementary or middle school. Smii7y and Kryoz are people I watch when I am in a bad mood. I watch older Quackity and Jschlatt videos because they remind me of when I was younger.

I am a friendly person that can talk with anyone. I talk all the time. I act more calm around my family and I act more crazy and talkative around my friends. I don’t feel I fit into any one social group. I think I am in between several groups. I don’t claim to fit into any specific group. I just go around into the different groups as it makes me happy. Since I can talk with a lot of different types of people, I am able to get around different groups.

I do better in English and writing classes than I do in Science and Math classes because I have a creative mind. Due to my ADHD diagnosis, I have a harder time staying attentive and having motivation to do my work. A skill that I have that is beneficial is that I can understand what others are feeling and going thru because I have gone thru most things that they might have gone thru.

I am not a religious person but believe in God. I don’t care what or who other people believe in as long as they do not disrespect or hurt other people. We also have a plate with the Last Supper that used to belong to my great grandmother that hangs over our dining room table.

I usually get everything I want because I am the baby of the family. My Uncle Ro does not have any kids so he spoils me a lot. If we really need money for something, my Papa will sell a cow to help us pay for whatever we need. He will not if it is something we want but he will if we need it. I have an allowance but my mother forgets to give it to me a lot.

The event that most impacted my life was when my grandmother Cathy died and there were a lot of problems with the burial because they buried the wrong body. It was about two weeks after that when the funeral home realized that they had buried the wrong body and my grandmother’s body was lying in the mortuary. I was very upset because my father had to go identify the body. It upset me a lot to think that the other family also had to identify the body, especially after it had been buried for 2 weeks. My father had Covid right after my grandmother died so the funeral had to wait. I could not go to the funeral because my guela was staying with us and I did not want to risk getting Covid and giving it to her. I was able to go to my grandmother Cathy’s second funeral and be with my family. Most people do not believe this story but I tell them that we even made the news when the story got out. My counselor said that this was one of the best 2 truths 1 lie stories because no one would believe me.

I love “my” stuffed animal, Kitty. Kitty has been part of my family since before I was born. A year and a half before I was born, my older sister fell out of bed and broke her elbow and my grandmother Cathy bought Kitty so she could feel better. Kitty went everywhere with Espy and she would sleep with it. When I was old enough to walk, I would sneak into her room and take Kitty from her. We would fight a lot over Kitty. Since I was the baby, I would win. After a while, she quit taking him back. Kitty would travel everywhere with us.

He has been to the beach, and has gone to Vegas several times. One time, I was playing with him by putting him in the room safe to keep him safe. But then, I could not open the wall safe and security and hotel management had to come open the safe because I was very upset and crying.

Kitty’s stuffing deteriorated and we had to take him to the Vet School at Texas A&M University in College Station during Vet Day so we could have a vet operate on him. Vet day is when the school opens the vet school up to the public and we are able to learn about being a vet and everything you could learn there. I have learned about animal physical rehabilitation, pharmaceutical, we have seen jousting competitions, Clydesdales, and many more things. My favorite part was the Teddy Bear surgery where we would get dressed in full scrubs, talk with a vet student in a surgical unit and “operate” on our stuffed animal. We have taken Kitty two times. The first time he had neck surgery and the second time he had eye surgery.

Kitty is like part of my family. There was one time, we misplaced him and everyone was crying, including my parents, because we could not find him. We thought I left him at a restaurant the day before. My mother went back to the restaurant and even climbed in their dumpster to look for him. We always seemed to find him.

We love him so much that my mother found another one like him online and bought it for her grandchildren. She will not let us play with him.

My favorite family member is my Uncle Ro. He does not have any children and spoils me a lot. My Uncle has taught me a lot like riding a bike, driving, hunting, swimming, camping and a lot of life lessons. He also tells me about his life so I don’t repeat his mistakes and be a better person. I would go on vacations with just him and my grandmother. When my parents divorced, my mother, sister and I moved in with him. He has always taken care of me. If I have ever needed anything or someone to watch me, he has always been there.

My mother is a paralegal. I go with her to seminars and have fun with her friends. I also go to her office and help her. Her job is boring. My mother and I will spend time together by driving around listening to music. We go to Buccee’s a lot. I go everywhere with her and we are always at each other’s sides. It is rare that you find her without me.

I am very close with my mother’s parents. My guela always loves and supports me no matter what I do. My papa always cheers me on. If I am ever in trouble, they will defend me against my mother. My guela likes to travel so we go to Las Vegas every year. We also go to the beach every year for her birthday in August. If I ever need anything, my papa will tell me to use his credit card to buy it.

My dad is a photographer. He takes a lot of pretty pictures. I made a collage for my room of some of his pictures. When I was small, he would take me and Kitty to breakfast at Rosa’s. I love going to get tacos with him.

Lastly, my older sister, Espy. We have a love hate relationship. She says she asked for a pony and she got me. She still asks for me to be sent back for a pony. I know she loves me and I love her. She works at Journeys and will get me shoes with her discount but will have our mom pay for it. She has an obsession with Squish mellows and we will go shopping for them together. When she first bought her car, she went straight to my school, took me out of class and drove me around. I enjoy spending time with her even though we sometimes fight.

Please do not cry for me. I could not take the pain anymore and answered God when he called me. Know that I am with Papo, Mamo, Tia Hilda and Mr. Pennypacker and they are taking care of me. I love you forever. . .

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, you make a donation in Alma’s name to one of the following:

NAMI – namitexas.org/youthresources/

Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative – texassuicideprevention.org

The Jed Foundation – jedfoundation.org