April 26, 2007

Ten-year-old Dayana Audon loses battle with cancer

Family could use help with funeral expenses

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

After giving birth to three sons Esmer-alda Garcia finally got to buy pink baby clothes when her baby daughter Dayana Audon was born 10 years ago. The single mother and daughter were particularly close and Garcia often brought her daughter to work with her as she waited tables at La Playita Mexican Restaurant in Almaden Valley.

Dayana Audon

La Playita owner Rita Gutierrez remembers Day-ana as a very nice, cute little girl with a great sense of humor. “She really liked school and was a good student,” said Gutierrez.

However a mother’s worst nightmare was realized a few months ago when Garcia discovered that her beautiful little girl was growing a form of cancer in her stomach called Germ Cell Tumors. Despite doctors best efforts at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital to shrink the tumors they kept growing back. On April 21 at 2:30 a.m. the little girl with the bright smile and a spring to her step died at her East San Jose home surrounded by her loving family.

Garcia is understandably heartbroken according to co-workers and customers who have grown to love the little girl themselves. Making the situation even harder is the fact that Garcia, who struggles to support her children on her waitress salary, cannot afford to pay for the funeral.

Ginger Tate and her family have been going to La Playita since they moved to Almaden Valley eight years ago. They got to know their favorite waitress Esmeralda well. The proud mom often talked about her children, sons Juan, Albert and Antolin, and her youngest, a little girl named Dayana who often visited the restaurant. Over the years they watched Dayana grow up before their eyes.

“Esmeralda and her children became like family to us,” said Tate. “She had such a close relationship with Dayana. Before she got sick Esmeralda would work the lunch shift so that she could be there when her children got home but after Dayana was diagnosed with cancer she had to switch to the night shift so that she could take her for treatment during the day and her sons would take care of Dayana at night. It was very tough on all of them.”

When Tate found out about Dayana’s death and the family’s struggles she decided to help raise funds to cover the funeral expenses.

A co-worker at La Playita, Sal Nieblas, said that people should know that an “immeasurable amount of love and respect” was shared between Esmeralda and Dayana. “In speaking with Esmeralda she informed me that the most challenging topic was discussing what would happen to Dayana once she passed on. Esmeralda shared that even as Dayana was in her last moments she was still so tender and understanding of her illness and her future. Her future was "en el cielo" or “in the heavens.” I like to think that she is there and resting after a very short but courageous battle with cancer.”

A few doors down from La Playita is a store called Charlie’s Cheesecakes, which is owned by Charlie Majors who says he remembers Dayana well from her many visits to his store. “She was a bundle of joy, always bursting with life,” he said. “She was always skipping along. When she got sick and lost her hair she used to wear a little hair band with a flower in it. She really was a special little girl.”

Nieblas said that Esmeralda told him that if there is anything that needs to be learned from this tragic story it is that we should treat life with the same respect and love that Dayana did.

The family would appreciate any donations towards the funeral expenses. You can send a check addressed to Esmeralda Garcia, 3289 Mt. Ranier Drive, San Jose, CA 95127 or drop off a donation at La Playita, 1169 Redmond Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120 (408) 997-7201.