Operation Noel: Lisette Lopez

Lisette Lopez may not have enjoyed her teenage years like most. She lost her mother and grandmother at a very young age and had to find the courage to handle a huge responsibility.

“I feel frustrated sometimes, but I think they understand,” said Lopez, struggling to hold back tears as she talks about her financial situation.

She has been the head of her household since she was 16, caring for her ailing grandmother and younger brother, Ernest, after her mother was deported.

When her grandmother passed away, Lisette had to quit college. She was studying to be a social worker.

“My brother went through a lot when my grandmother passed away. He was seven year old and needed psychiatric help,” she said.

Lisette fears Ernest could be giving up on football and basketball so she doesn’t have to worry about buying him uniforms and equipment. “He tries not to put a lot of pressure on me,” she said.

She is also responsible for her 4-year-old son Jacob. Lisette recently got married, but her husband lives in Mexico.

She is trying to help him gain legal residency in the United States, a process that takes time and money.

Her responsibilities leave her with little time to see the man she loves. “Sometimes, I need to take (my son and brother) to the doctor, take them to school and then go to work,” Lisette said.

She hopes her mother and husband will be able to live with her in the U.S. in the near future.