Juliana Rivera, left, and Kasandra Rivera, right, pose for a picture with their father, Jesse Rivera, in the Philippines, where the sisters are attending high school. Rivera’s aunt provides care for him, while his wife, Sharolyn Alvarez, who works on Saipan, sends funds for his support.
Juliana Rivera, back row, Kasandra Rivera, 2nd row, Jesse Rivera, Samarah Rivera, Sharolyn Alvarez and Gabbie Rivera, front, in a Christmas photo taken in 2021, five months before Jesse Rivera suffered a heart attack on Saipan while playing basketball. Sharolyn Alvarez is seeking the community’s support as she navigates immigration and income concerns while trying to hold her family together with the help of her friend Arianna Pando.
A MOTHER of four is reaching out to the community for support after a medical tragedy has left the future of her family uncertain.
Sharolyn Alvarez said she is looking for financial donations after her husband Jessie Rivera suffered a heart attack and subsequently fainted while playing basketball on Saipan in May 2022.
The incident rendered Rivera incapacitated for several minutes.
According to Arianna Pando, the respiratory therapist on the day Rivera was brought to the Commonwealth Health Center, Rivera experienced anoxic brain injury, which occurs when the brain goes without oxygen for a prolonged period of time.
Pando has been a “guardian angel” for Alvarez and her youngest daughter, who was born on Saipan. Alvarez currently lives on Saipan for free in Pando’s one-bedroom apartment.
In 2022, at the time of Rivera’s heart attack, Alvarez was a CW-2 visa holder, which required her to move with her entire family — including their four daughters between the ages of 1 and 16 — back to the Philippines.
Because of his brain injury, Rivera is wheelchair bound and does not recall who his wife and children are.
“It was as if he hated her,” Pando writes on a GoFundMe page, referring to Rivera’s diminished mental capacity.
Rivera “was combative and constantly swatting at her and the children when they tried to help. He was in pain and unaware of his surroundings and unable to communicate effectively.”
In the Philippines, Alvarez took out loans in order to pay for Rivera’s heart surgery. However, even after the surgery, Rivera is still unable to recognize Alvarez or his daughters. Alvarez said it’s unlikely her husband will regain his full mental capacity.
At present, Alvarez holds a CW-1 visa and lives and works full time on Saipan where she said she earns three times what she’s paid in the Philippines.
She regularly sends money to Rivera’s aunt who is taking care of Rivera. His aunt has requested that Alvarez pay for the construction of a personal living space for Rivera as he remains in a confused state.
A number of immigration uncertainties plague Alvarez.
She knows that in 2025 she must return to the Philippines as required by the “touchback” provision of the CW-1 visa. This will affect her ability to earn income. Additionally, the status of the CW-1 visa itself is uncertain. Under current U.S. law, the CW-1 program is scheduled to end on Dec. 31, 2029.
Alvarez is also not sure which specific visa she would apply for so that her two daughters — aged 14 and 18 — can join her on Saipan.
In the Philippines, Juliana, 18, said she has to keep herself busy so she isn’t overwhelmed with emotion.
“When I think about [our situation] then I feel sad, but most of the time I try not to think about it,” she said. “I focus on what I need to do. I can’t just cry about it all the time.”
She wants to come to Saipan because she knows she can lend a hand to her mother.
Pando, for her part, said if her contract with CHCC is not renewed, then she will have to leave the island, which adds another layer of urgency to Alvarez’s housing situation.
Alvarez said she can’t allow herself to break down.
“I’m trying to hold it together,” she said. “I’m always reminding myself to be strong for the kids, because I can’t give up. I have four kids, they’re all relying on me. They’re depending on me. Sometimes I feel sad, I feel lonely, and I especially feel sorry for my husband, but I can’t be weak. I need to be strong for my kids.”
However, she does realize she needs help.
“I’m knocking on the doors of the people on Saipan and everyone who can hear our story. Any amount of donation will be a great help for my family,” Alvarez said. “I really miss my daughters in the Philippines and I want to do more for my husband — at least help him with his needs.”
PayPal donations can be made to shrlynalv@gmail.com/.
The GoFundMe page for the Rivera family is at https://tinyurl.com/Help-the-Riveras
