Eligio Augie Sanchez was born in November 1959 in Mexico City. He lived with both his parents and his two older brothers, Victor and Leo, but he spent most of his time living with his aunt in Acapulco when he was growing up. His family did chores during the day and ate meals together at a big table in the kitchen.

Sanchez was dreaming of life in the United States ever since elementary school. After he finished his Bachelor’s in Laboratory Chemistry at the University of Mexico City, his parents wanted him to become a doctor. But Sanchez was disillusioned with the path his parents had set for him, and he went to live with his cousin in Kansas in 1981.

While he was in Kansas, he met Dr. Raymond Rice, his wife, Sally, and their two sons. The Rice family invited Sanchez to live with them, and they helped him learn English and attend university. The Rices became Sanchez’s second family, and they all moved to Missouri together in 1983.

Sanchez landed at Drury University in 1986 and worked on a degree in biology and later received a job offer from the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners to become the Hispanic Program Manager and be on the Hostage Negotiator Team.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read all of Sanchez's story and the rest of the Ethnic Life Stories Project stories by clicking here.

Follow Friends of the gardens on social media! We post park events, promos, and announcements of new ELSTOT releases on our Facebook and Instagram.

Find out more about Friends of the Garden by visiting our website, friendsofthegarden.org.

Interested in supporting the 501(c)3 nonprofit that maintains and enhances the gardens and trails at the Springfield Botanical Gardens? Find out more by clicking here.

Music is Bach Cello Suite no. 3 by Colin Carr from the Free Music Archive.

Episodes are edited, recorded, mixed, and published by Diana Dudenhoeffer.