Fundraiser honors life of Evelyn Burgos

Posted

On Sunday, co-workers, friends and family of Evelyn Burgos and her daughter Vanessa Perez gathered at Margaret Walsh Park on the grounds of the John O. Pastore Center to honor the lives of the two women lost to a domestic violence attack and help promote domestic violence awareness.

Burgos and Perez were victims of a double homicide that occurred at Burgos’ home in Johnston in August. Burgos had a restraining order in place against her former boyfriend and suspected murderer, Daniel Rodriguez. The murders and abduction of Burgos’ 2-year-old son, Isaiah, launched a nationwide search and Amber Alert. Rodriguez was arrested within hours and Isaiah was later found wandering the streets of Providence’s Chad Brown projects, unharmed.

Dozens of people attended a fundraising cookout held on the quad where Burgos worked for more than a decade. Put together by Burgos’ co-workers at the Eleanor Slater Memorial Hospital, the onsite event was promoted as “A Day for Evelyn” and a day of healing. Having raised more than $2,000 prior to the event, Deborah Dunning was hopeful that their efforts would help all heal.

“Most of the stuff, the staff bought themselves or donated themselves,” said Dunning, healthcare services coordinator at the hospital. “That $2,000 we collected is already geared towards the children. What we make above and beyond that, we’re going to split fifty-fifty with the children and the coalition [RICADV].”

The funds will help with the support of Evelyn Burgos’ two boys, ages 7 and 3, as well as Perez’ daughter, age 4.

Staff members also purchased gifts for the children, a blanket for each, embroidered with the words “Your mother will always be in your heart.”

“We had them embroidered in print,” said Dunning. “They will learn how to read printing first.”

Dunning, who didn’t work directly with Burgos, organized the benefit, a cookout for those who wanted to help. Coming out on their weekend off, employees of the hospital donated raffle and sale items, made blankets and crafts, cooked and served to help raise funds for the family of the two women.

“What we are trying to do here is give the funds to the kids and to the domestic violence program – make people aware. There are a lot of hurting people here,” she said. “Evelyn was loved. If there are any other people in the hospital in this situation, we don’t want them to keep silent.”

Speaking as to the “silence” of domestic violence victims, Dunning and the staff wanted to encourage victims to speak out.

“Some of these girls are devastated,” she said. “They thought they knew her. They were friends with her; they went out with her. They were in her home and she in theirs. For this to have happened to her – they can’t deal with it.”

Burgos’ co-worker, Wendy Caldarone, worked the same shift with Burgos for 13 years. Remembering her friend and co-worker and telling Evelyn’s story was difficult for Caldarone.

“We didn’t even know his name was Daniel,” said Caldarone. “We were pregnant at the same time. I have a 3-year-old little girl. We were two months apart.”

Caldarone continued, “She worked first and second shift on a Friday night. She was here. We had the weekend off; we worked the same shift. She went to a family party and then it was Sunday morning. I got a phone call.”

Caldarone remembers Burgos as a wonderful, warm and loving person.

“I started here 13 years ago,” she said. “When I walked onto the floor, she was the first person I saw. My first impression was that she was so beautiful and she carried herself with such respect. She never in 13 years changed. She always had respect.”

Caldarone told a story of a mom who loved to talk about her children.

“I have a 17-year-old daughter and Cynthia was smaller when we started working together. We always exchanged mommy stories. Her kids were her life. Her kids were her world,” she said.

As a co-worker, Caldarone remembers Burgos as a woman always there for her patients and friends.

“She had a compassionate heart and was wonderful with the patients. Evelyn was always willing to help. She had an amazing smile and lit up the room when she walked in a room. Everyone felt the same way about her,” she said. “There isn’t a person I know who had a bad thing to say about her.”

Caldarone said there were signs, but they never really knew what Burgos was going through. The two women worked together as CNAs and remained friends when Burgos transferred to another department.

“Thirteen years we worked together in Regan. I’ve never worked anywhere else. It’s difficult coming to work. She isn’t here,” Caldarone said.

Burgos’ brother, Jose, attended with his mother. There were four children in the family and Evelyn was a middle child.

“I took care of all of them,” said Jose. “She was always helping people. Anytime there was someone who needed help, Evelyn helped. She was a kind person all her life.”

The family has not come to terms with what happened to the two women. A brother and uncle, Jose said he was concerned for Evelyn and Vanessa’s children.

“Her children meant so much to her,” he said. “The little one keeps asking for his mom, keeps crying about her. He doesn’t understand.”

Jose portrayed his sister as a hard worker and dedicated mom.

According to him, all three children are living with family.

As a child, he said, “she cried a lot but I always took care of her.”

“It’s a sad thing,” said Jose. “It’s really sad. I think about her all the time.”

Moving forward, Jose recommended that people in a domestic violence situation “tell someone.”

“They have to tell someone,” he said.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here