Daughter Writes Tribute To Immigrant Mom On Graduation Cap

A proud mom who is a first-generation immigrant welled up when her daughter showed her a loving message of thanks written on her cap at graduation. Marilin Martinez from Miami, Florida, left her native Cuba to move to Canada when daughter Dailys Suraste was five years old, before sending for Dailys who was living with her grandmother in the interim. The family then moved from Canada to Miami to be with Daily's aunt, and eight family members lived in a two-bedroom apartment. Marilin was a doctor in Cuba, Dailys, 30, said, but due to language barriers in the U.S., she initially had to pick up jobs in cafeterias and as a cleaner. Over time, Marilin, 55, trained to become a nurse – and along the way she taught her daughter English and the value of education. When it was time for Dailys to graduate from Florida International University, she wanted to provide a special tribute to her mom. On her cap she wrote, "Para mi mama que llegó sin nada y me lo dio todo," which translates to: "For my mom, who arrived with nothing and gave me everything."

Keywords