Hugo Torres officially became a United State Citizen on June 22, 2016 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Mr. Torres became an American many years earlier at/about the age of 10 in Mrs. Ross Fourth Grade classroom at Malabar Elementary school. After having spent many months learning English as a second language a young Hugo Torres was handed a small sheet of paper with words first drafted in 1892 by Francis Bellamy. He was told that he would join the rest of the class the next day as they would raise their hands to their hearts in unison and expressed allegiance. Hugo took the sheet home, told his parents and then spent hours on his bed practicing, and practicing and practicing. In the course of that afternoon he had looked up many of the words that then he thought too obscure. Once he understood their weight and realized the responsibility they required he knew he was ready. The next morning, once the class settled down and Mrs. Ross asked the group to rise at attention, young Hugo Torres pledged “allegiance to the flag of the United State of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Young Hugo caught Mrs. Ross smiling at him as she asked everyone to sit.
Mr. Torres was an American in his heart from that morning until his passing last Tuesday afternoon.
Source: Mr. Torres’ Future Obituary.
