Ayda Lydia Escamilla has walked a life path that is uniquely hers. Her journey, like those of many women, has included twists and turns due to life circumstances. She loved without reservation, including six husbands, five children (all now grown with families of their own), ten grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a host of friends across seven decades.
 
As a woman, Ayda endured abuse at the hands of some who claimed to love her. Not one to easily give up, Ayda, in the face of childhood poverty and limited life opportunities, relentlessly pursued formal education, which facilitated a successful four-decade career in nursing. Ayda, now seventy-five years old, has retired from nursing and spends her days enjoying true love with her husband, Jose Abreo Acosta, caring for their home, and attending to the needs of her family.