It's been a week since I announced this site to the world, and already it's had more than 300 visitors.
Many of the visitors go to the "About Martha Corey-Ochoa" page, making me realize there is an interest in who she was as well as what she wrote. Here are a few facts about Martha that most people don't know:
- She died within three miles of the place where she was born, on Manhattan's West Side. She was born at Roosevelt Hospital and died across the street from St. Luke's Hospital.
- Her favorite toy was a stuffed dog whom we put in her bassinet and to whom she remained loyal from infancy to college. At first we called the animal Sad Dog, but she renamed him Happy Dog, and changed him from a him to a her. Happy Dog went through various name changes until Martha settled on calling her Tinkybella, whom, Martha declared, was not a dog but a fairy.
- She learned to read at age three.
- She avoided calculators, preferring to do the math in her head.
- Martha never had a cavity. She went to her grave with perfect teeth.
- Until Martha was eleven, my wife and I both worked at home as freelance writers, so we were able to perform all her care personally. We divided the day into shifts: Melinda might have the morning shift with Martha, I would have the afternoon shift, then Melinda the evening shift. The next day we reversed the schedule, and I would have the morning shift, and so on. We did this because neither of us wanted to give up the pleasure of Martha's company.
- Martha acted in several summer camp musicals, but never got a leading role. Her biggest part was Cogswell the clock in Beauty and the Beast. She triumphed in it.
- After 9/11, Martha discovered patriotism, and the seven-year-old girl would march around the house after dinner, waving a little American flag and singing the national anthem. She knew all four verses of it.
- Melinda had a difficult delivery, and Martha had to be born in an emergency C-section, which I witnessed. I glimpsed her being carried from Melinda's body to a sort of tray, and then I walked up close to the tray. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and I instantly loved her more than anyone I had ever loved. I have not stopped loving her since. --George Ochoa
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Fatima Boozarjomehri (Thursday, 10 November 2016 06:06)
Dear George,
I hope you're doing well. I just recently discovered this site. I especially enjoyed re-reading Logia. I remember spending hours talking to Martha about the plot and trying to wrap my head around the amazing character tree she drew in my planner (and added to, week after week). Reading over her Valedictory Address took me back to the night I spent staying up in Iran, determined to congratulate her over the phone. I could not be there in person to witness Dobbs Ferry appreciate and discover the gem I had held close to my heart for 7+ years but I had to make sure she knows I remember her even from ten-thousand miles away. Reading her essays and poems made me relive the pain of losing my best friend. But alongside pain, I felt a burning feeling of love. I often find myself looking over her handwriting and reading the little notes she had left in my planner, reminding me of our trip to Manhattan, or of our planned mini trip to waterfront park. Thank you so much for giving me another opportunity to reconnect with my Martha.
George Ochoa (Saturday, 12 November 2016 14:05)
Fatima,
Thank you for stopping by the website! I'm glad you found out about it. Hearing you reminisce about Martha was good for my heart. She is with me every day, and yet I always welcome the chance to be with her a little more. Hope you're doing well.
Best wishes,
George
Celia (Sunday, 08 December 2019 13:46)
I am a FNP student and currently doing HW which involves an annotated bibliography which I don't recall ever doing. Part of the task involves answering my professors questions regarding the authors in my bibliography. I researched you, George Ochoa, and found this. I am heartbroken to know that you also lost a daughter. My daughter was born at Mt. Sinai in NY and died 8 days later for "no reason". She was completely healthy but stopped breathing. I will never forget as you, undoubtedly, will never forget your beautiful daughter. I am so sorry for the loss of your daughter. She is with you as you said. Mine is too. I have had many signs including my other daughter seeing her when she was 2. That's how I know she is with me, because my daughter saw her and she did not know yet she had a sister that passed. I wish you peace and strength always.
Sincerely,
Celia
George Ochoa (Tuesday, 10 December 2019 19:35)
Celia,
I’m sorry for your terrible loss. I can’t imagine losing a baby at such a young age. In a way, I count myself fortunate because I got to know my daughter well for 18 years, and will always have those memories. I’m glad you’ve had signs of your daughter being with you. I haven’t had many, but I believe Martha’s happy and that I’ll see her again someday. Thank you for researching me. Let me know, if you can, what the research project is about.
Best,
George