Let's give them a honeymoon worthy of their love!
Donation protected
You probably already know that Armando Ortiz has the biggest heart. And you probably know of his incredible ability to find and bring joy to every situation. And that he found the love of his life, Naoko, and that together they're building a family full of laughter and love.
You may not know that the state almost stopped this from happening. When Armando was 16, he was surprised to learn he was wanted in relation to a murder. Knowing he hadn't done anything, he turned himself in ... and it would be 17 years (yes, years) before he walked free again.
When I met Armando, he was in a maximum security facility, sentenced to two terms of life without the possibility of parole. For something he had nothing to do with. Yet he still had an easy smile, a quick laugh, and a kindness that shone through the inhumane setting. He spent more years in prison than he had free, but he kept finding the bright side and used his time to make the world around him better. He started his own prison library, wrote letters filled with "ha, ha, ha"s, got a job in the bakery and learned to bake, and wrote so many requests for better and more fair treatment that the prison started limiting the number of filings allowed. Most importantly, he refused to let system take any of his light.
So when the truth finally set him free, Armando met the world with open arms. He hasn't gotten a single penny of compensation but he has never complained. Instead, he focused on being proud of earning a job, paying taxes, and building his career.
And when he and Naoko met each other, his heart was ready for their great love.
I never thought Armando would find someone who could match his joyous and open and kind nature, but he has found that in Naoko and their laughter echoes every space they warm. Everyone is drawn to them, and they have a home full of family - and their kids were as happy as they were on the wedding day.
The kids even helped pay for the wedding, which Armando and Naoko are still paying off. So they haven't yet gotten to go on a honeymoon. And that's where we come in. Let's give them the funds to have a honeymoon as magical as they are.
You may not know that the state almost stopped this from happening. When Armando was 16, he was surprised to learn he was wanted in relation to a murder. Knowing he hadn't done anything, he turned himself in ... and it would be 17 years (yes, years) before he walked free again.
When I met Armando, he was in a maximum security facility, sentenced to two terms of life without the possibility of parole. For something he had nothing to do with. Yet he still had an easy smile, a quick laugh, and a kindness that shone through the inhumane setting. He spent more years in prison than he had free, but he kept finding the bright side and used his time to make the world around him better. He started his own prison library, wrote letters filled with "ha, ha, ha"s, got a job in the bakery and learned to bake, and wrote so many requests for better and more fair treatment that the prison started limiting the number of filings allowed. Most importantly, he refused to let system take any of his light.
So when the truth finally set him free, Armando met the world with open arms. He hasn't gotten a single penny of compensation but he has never complained. Instead, he focused on being proud of earning a job, paying taxes, and building his career.
And when he and Naoko met each other, his heart was ready for their great love.
I never thought Armando would find someone who could match his joyous and open and kind nature, but he has found that in Naoko and their laughter echoes every space they warm. Everyone is drawn to them, and they have a home full of family - and their kids were as happy as they were on the wedding day.
The kids even helped pay for the wedding, which Armando and Naoko are still paying off. So they haven't yet gotten to go on a honeymoon. And that's where we come in. Let's give them the funds to have a honeymoon as magical as they are.
Organizer and beneficiary
Paige Kaneb
Organizer
Half Moon Bay, CA
Armando Ortiz
Beneficiary