About Author
Antonio Jose Hernandez was born in San Antonio, Texas. There are some gifts that a parent or a guardian gives to their child. I am a first-born generation American in the U.S. On my father’s side, I am Native American. I am part of the Coahuiltecan Nation, better known as the Mission Indians, who help build many Spanish missions in Texas and Northern Mexico in the State of Coahuila.
As I was growing up, my mother did not speak much English; she still encouraged me to read and learn. My mom would walk my younger sister and me to the San Antonio Mobile Library, parked four blocks away every two weeks, to check out books. My mom selected the books to read, and I would not read them. She was frustrated because I did not want to read; I just looked at the picture.
The librarian was helpful; she asked Anthony what Antonio’s nickname was and what he liked. Antonio said he liked dinosaurs, space, trucks, airplanes, animals, the ocean, and outdoor adventures. The librarian gave Antonio two books to read, one on space about our solar system planets and one on dinosaurs; she even helped Antonio to read. My mom would take Antonio and his sister to the mobile library to help them learn to read.
Before he reached age six, Antonio had an accident at Piggly Wiggly Grocery store. He was rushed to the hospital and suffered a brain injury, which later affected his learning. Despite the difficulties, his mom never gave up and continued having him. Read the books in English and translate them into Spanish.
His mom and Dad were great at math. School administrators told Antonio’s parents I was falling behind, so he was placed in special education. It was difficult being a tall boy and stigmatized as being stupid, a slow learner, retarded, and even criticized and put down often by the bullies in school. Antonio’s close friends stood by from elementary to high school. Antonio continued special education, and another meeting was held with his parents while he was in 10th grade. The school counselor stated that my ability had improved and that I could be placed in regular classes.
Antonio could never make an A grade; he continued to pass with a low GPA. When Antonio said he wanted to go to college and one of the bullies said you are too dumb to go to college, she was not naive and was part of the National Honor Society.
He was a volunteer for 28 years. An extra class radio operator and an instructor in (CERT) Community Emergency Response Team taught courses. Antonio worked for the U.S. Air Force student program in public safety for several years. He was a member of the Texas Military Forces, responding to disasters and protecting the border.
He earned a degree from San Antonio College. He attended Texas A&M Corpus Christi but never completed his degree. He later participated in Grand Canyon University and earned bachelor’s and two master’s degrees. Then, he continued to earn his third master’s degree from American Military University. Antonio utilized the power of travel to learn from others in other countries, another form of education that books cannot teach the personal intimacy of life. Learning more and traveling helped Antonio write short story articles on Linked In and other websites.
Antonio’s mom, family, and friends were proud that Antonio had reached his educational goal with a GPA of 3.87. Like his mom said, learning and education, once earned, can never be taken away; it is yours for life; his mom said it does not stop there; reading and learning is a lifetime process until you die. I am so grateful to my mom, who encouraged me and guided me on my journey of reading and education. Antonio Jose Hernandez was born in San Antonio, Texas. There are some gifts that a parent or a guardian gives to their child. I am a first-born generation American in the U.S. On my father’s side, I am Native American. I am part of the Coahuiltecan Nation, better known as the Mission Indians, who help build many Spanish missions in Texas and Northern Mexico in the State of Coahuila.
