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Visibles: Ana Colón calls herself a warrior who has survived domestic violence and cancer

Ana Colón left Puerto Rico as a kid, but she says her ties with the island remained strong. Periodically she visits her family on the island.
Gaby Lozada
/
NHPR
Ana Colón was born in Chicago and raised for some years in Puerto Rico. She says her ties with the island remained strong. Periodically she visits her family on the island.

Ana Colón lives in Nashua and loves her neighborhood, where friends frequently visit her in her apartment, which she keeps spotless. She is the mother of two children, one of them adopted, and they are her great pride. She is of Puerto Rican roots and visits the island whenever she can so she doesn't lose contact with her relatives.

Her life has not been easy; when Ana went to school as a child, she wondered if her father was mistreating her mother at that very moment at home. That fear was persistent; she was afraid to talk about what was happening because it could cost her a beating. She, along with her six brothers and sisters, kept silent for many years.

Read this story in Spanish here

But Ana learned how to cope with that trauma and became a woman who does not hold a grudge. She says it took her many years to forgive her father, but she says she’s done it for her own good.

The harsh experiences of her childhood forged strong ties with her brothers and sisters, who worked hard during their adolescence so that their mother could escape that violent situation without financial constraints.

Her struggle to survive domestic violence has not been her only battle. In 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She felt her world crumble.

For Ana, life is raising her head very high and not letting herself fall apart. She is a happy and grateful woman of God.

If you are a victim of domestic violence and need help, call Bridges NH: 603- 883-3044

This is episode 22. To watch all episodes, click here

ANA COLON_INGLES.mp4

Gabriela Lozada is a Report for America corps member. Her focus is on Latinx community with original reporting done in Spanish for ¿Qué hay de Nuevo NH?.
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