Story - Juanita and Susan

Susan and Juanita met when Juanita needed help getting to the doctor. Little did they know that three years later their relationship would blossom into a beautiful friendship.

“Did you bring your handicap sticker?” Susan asks.

“I was too excited. I forgot it,” says Juanita.

A moment passes.

“Oh wait, here it is!” she exclaims.

“Too late, I already parked. We’re walking,” says Susan.

Juanita lets out a girlish laugh, not the least bit offended by Susan’s air of gruffness. The two have been friends for three years now, since the summer Susan started giving rides to Juanita through Boulder County CareConnect’s Medical Mobility program.

Juanita and Susan are not the most likely of friends. They come from different generations, and have very different backgrounds and life experiences. Nevertheless, their friendship comes naturally to them.

Juanita originally hails from Michigan. Her parents, who were native Mississippians – which may be the source of her subtle Southern accent – raised Juanita and her seven siblings in Jackson, Michigan. They were devout Christians, and instilled in their children the value of loving all people no matter who they were. She’s not afraid to admit, however, that her family was dysfunctional at times.

“I think everybody’s got a dysfunctional family,” she says. “I can’t think of anybody that’s got this perfect little family.”

“Dysfunctional but loving,” is how she puts it.

From a young age, Juanita was friends with Louis Preston Thorton Jr., the man she would later marry and with whom she would have two children. They eventually settled in Lansing, Michigan, where Louis worked at General Motors for the next 41 years.

“To be honest, I wanted to work in the same factory where my husband worked,” Juanita says. “But he said to me, ‘No, you’re not going in that place!’ And I thought to myself, ‘I don’t know if I like marriage. He’s telling me what to do now!’”

She’s joking, and her high-pitched laugh has returned.

After many years together, Louis passed away, and Juanita got sick. The cold weather in Michigan wasn’t doing her any favors, so she moved to Longmont, Colorado.

At Boulder County CareConnect we have dedicated ourselves to helping seniors such as Juanita flourish through active engagement—as recipients and contributors—with their community. 

We invite you to join us.