A celebrity: Victor Manuel

Víctor Manuel Ruiz Velázquez was born in New York, United States on September 27, 1968, and has Puerto Rican parents. Better known as Víctor Manuelle or as El Sonero de la juventud (The Singer of Youths). Although he was born in New York, he is a Puerto Rican salsa singer and sings romantic ballads too. His career as an artist began in 1985 when Gilberto Santa Rosa (another salsa singer) discovered his talent, from that moment Víctor began his career. He has sang with other artists such as Domingo Quiñones, Rey Ruíz, Puerto Rican Power, Eddie Santiago, The Puerto Rican All Starts, Cheo, Tito Allen, and others. Víctor Manuelle has recorded more than 19 albums, in 1999 he won an award of Joven Salsero del Año. The latest album was in 2015 titled Que suenen los tambores. In this production there was a song dedicated to his father titled Algo le pasa a mi héroe (Something is wrong with my hero).

Víctor Manuelle and his father Víctor.

Victor Manuelle at the end of the video of the song Algo le pasa a mi héroe (Somenthing is wrong with my hero), dedicated that song to his father, also named Víctor, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Víctor started a project called "Ellos olvidan, no lo hagas tú" (They forget, do not do it), because of the disease his father was suffering. This project aims to guide and raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease. Víctor Manuelle dedicated his project to two very important people in his life. This two people were the ones who had dedicated with patience and all the love in the world to give to his father a decent life, full of love and joy. The first person is his brother Héctor, who said that "Who honors their father obeys God", this is what Héctor is doing, and the second person is the Mother of Víctor and Héctor named Jenny. Víctor says she promised before God that she would love and care for Victor's father in good and bad times, and that they have always done. Culminates,Víctor saying to his mother you are our example, I love you!

Image about Victor's video

Image about Victor's video

Víctor's presenting his project

Víctor's presenting his project

Héctor Ruíz (brother), Barbara Ivelisse Ruíz (sister),Víctor Manuel Ruíz and Víctor Ruíz (father)

In this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZ0B9mki9M, you can listen to the song Algo le pasa a mi héroe. The song is in Spanish, but talks about the situation that is happening with Víctor's father. Víctor Manuelle describes in his song that his father have a blank gaze, he does not repeat the stories that he told, he do not longer remember the names of his family and therefore he cannot pronounce it, he no longer looks alike physically or mentally, and he mention in the song that his father was his example, his guidance and that he has become as a child. This and more mentions Víctor, in his song. It make us to understand what happens to a person with Alzheimer's disease from the beginnig to its deterioration.

I chose to talk about Víctor Manuelle to discuss the situation his father is confronting and because I like the way how Víctor behaves. Is a humble, and simple artist, not looking for scandals, all these qualities have led him to be where he is musically. When I heard the song I shed some tears because I remembered my grandmother who died of various diseases, one of them, Alzheimer. I began to remember when she told me stories that had happened some time ago, when she confused her daughter with the lady who cleaned and cooked, it was the same person, but my grandmother could not distinguish due to Alzheimer's. My aunts took care of her until her death and I know it is not easy for anyone caring for someone with Alzheimer's because the get aggresive. We have to be aware at all times, but the worst part is knowing that they will not be able to recognize you. I remember my grandmother as the best of all with her beautiful smile. When I was seeking Víctor Manuelle's song and heard it, I never thought it would bring me many feelings. We need to take care of our family, considering, they did the same for us.

Me, my grandmother Blasina and my sister Zairée