Covid-19 forces early retirement for long-time El Paso educator

EL PASO, Texas -- For Leonor Terrazas, her life was forever changed after she contracted Covid-19. An instructional aide at Ascarate Elementary school for 36 years, Terrazas was a dedicated worker who loved what she did, "Oh yeah, that was home, second home."

But after testing positive for Covid-19 and having a rough go at it, Terrazas was forced to take leave, and she never even got the opportunity to say goodbye to her students.

"That was the hardest thing I think, because I never got to go back. Once you're on leave, you're on leave and you can't go back to make those connections anymore," she explained.

Though she couldn't wish her students goodbye, in recent months she has seen both recent and older students of hers, as well as parents who remember her and they have been "so kind" when they see her.

Terrazas recalled when she saw a family she knew at Walmart: "'We love you' and I respond 'oh I love you too guys, I love you too.'"

Terrazas does suffer from both heart and lung issues after her encounter with Covid-19, but is taking care of herself and she hopes to get back to working with students soon.

"I already talked with the principal where my grandson goes to school and I'm excited to hear that she says 'yes, yes we need you.'"