Support Joaquin's Fight Against ALS

The L.I Horticulture community is a very tight and supportive group of women and men.

Today, one of our own is in dire need of financial help. This past winter, Joaquin Canales was diagnosed with ALS, and the fast progression is startling.

As many of you know there is no cure, no medical intervention to treat this horrific disease. Basically it’s all about keeping him comfortable.

Joaquin has been the face of TREES ON THE MOVE for the last 16 years.

There is nothing anyone has ever asked him to do that he says no to. If you asked him if a tree could be moved to a slightly more difficult area, you would get the “we see” answer. Come back an hour later and sure enough it would be right where you asked him. Customers loved when Joaquin was on the job.

His gentle way of speaking and dealing with people has gained the respect of his bosses, co-workers and all of TREES ON THE MOVE customers.He is a hardworking man who takes pride in any job he is a part of. Joaquin never left a site until the job was done perfectly. And he would never take any credit, except giving you that gentle smile after the customer praised his work

Joaquin and his wife Carmen grew up in the same neighborhood in El Salvador. They startes dating in the early 1980’s. Carmen left El Salvador and arrived in the United States in 1988. Joaquin arrived in New York the following year. They both reunited here in New York in 1991.

Joaquin and Carmen married and became first time parents to a baby girl, Katherine, in 1992. Becoming young parents was not easy but their love, strong will and determination allowed them to surpass each of their goals. They expanded their family with a baby boy in 1994, Joaquin Jr. and had their last baby girl in 1999, Ariela.

By 2012 Joaquin and Carmen achieved a goal they had always dreamt of , becoming American citizens.

Their Christian religion is the guiding principle in both of their lives.

He not only preaches on a regular basis, but he and Carmen transmit a podcast to EL Salvador so people can hear the word of God.

Joaquin and Carmen together with their 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren have faced his diagnosis and have put themselves in God’s hands.

Joaquin is one of the proudest and humblest men you will ever know. He has given money as best as he could to his community in both Brentwood and El Salvador. Always looking out for those less fortunate.

The last thing he would ever do is ask for help for himself, but as much as we wish his reality was different, we are asking for your help to raise as much as we can to help alleviate some of the financial burden of such a devastating illness.

Besides financial support the family also needs help in making their home handicapped accessible. They need a wheelchair ramp to get in and out of his home, as well as one to the deck outside so he can sit and watch his grandchildren play and feel the fresh air. They also need to retrofit their bedroom and bath so he can care for himself as long as he can. Since there is no cure for ALS, we want to make sure he can have quality of life for the time he has left. Making the home accessible for Joaquin to go outside safely without the risk of falling, which has happened countless times. we want him to be able to join his family’s bbqs and watch his grandchildren play again, even if he can no longer join them.

If anyone can donate their time and possibly materials,to help with this project that would help take the load off the families shoulders.

We realize this is a difficult time, financially for many people. Donating a $ 1.00 or sharing this with your friends on your social media platforms would be a tremendous help.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

God Bless