♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> IN SOME WAYS IT WAS ACTUALLY EASIER FOR ME TO LEAVE.

>> HUG?

>> BECAUSE I KNEW I DID NOT WANT TO GET THEM SICK.

>> IT'S OUR JOB AS PEOPLE TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

>> SHE'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT I WENT THROUGH.

>> HELLO, I AM SONIA GUTIERREZ, THEY ARE THE QUIET AND NOT SO QUIET HEROES OF OUR FAMILIES.

MOMS, MOTHERS, MAMAS, MOMMIES, NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL HER, SHE IS THE ONE WHO HOLDS OUR HEARTS AND SHOWERS US IN UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

THIS WEEK ON THE COLORADO VOICES, YOU WILL MEET MOMS FROM ACROSS THE STATE, WHO ARE HELPING LEAD CHANGE AND INSPIRE OUR NEXT GENERATION.

>> DID YOU LEARN ANYONE'S NAME TODAY?

>> NAMES.

>> THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IN FOSTER FAMILY IS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP YOUR HOME TO THAT CHILD, AND HELP PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME OF THAT HEALING AND THAT CONSISTENCY AND STRUCTURE AND HELP THEM GROW AND THRIVE.

>> WHO DID YOU PLAY WITH?

>> WHAT IS SUPPORT ABOUT THIS FAMILY RIGHT NOW IS THAT IT IS THE FAMILY THAT WE CHOSE.

>> WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?

YOU WANT CUPCAKES?

>> IT'S THE FAMILY THAT IS RIGHT FOR US.

>> THIS IS WHAT FOSTER PARENTS DO, YOU BRING KIDS INTO YOUR HOME AND TREAT THEM LIKE THEY ARE YOUR CHILDREN, AND THEN ULTIMATELY SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO LEAVE.

>> SO OUR FAMILY CONSIST OF ME AND REYNA, AND THEN WE HAVE A TWO-YEAR-OLD FOSTER CHILD WHO IS GETTING READY TO TURN THREE AND HE WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT.

>> HOW OLD ARE YOU GOING TO BE?

>> THREE.

>> THREE?

>> THEN WE HAVE A SIX-YEAR-OLD WHO WE ADOPTED LAST YEAR AT FIVE.

>> BEING A FOSTER PARENT IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO US, BECAUSE IT HELPS US TO GROW OUR FAMILY BUT IT ALSO GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CHANGE KIDS LIVES.

>> THERE'S JUST THAT SENSE OF WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT IS SO POSITIVE AND HELPFUL AND GOOD JUST FOR US AND FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR THESE KIDS.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT'S BECOME WHO WE ARE, BUT IS A BIG PART OF WHO WE ARE.

>> FAMILY IS LIFE, IT IS LOVE, IT IS HOPE, IT IS FULFILLMENT.

IT IS FULFILLMENT.

>> WHAT DID THE BIRD SAY?

>> TWEET TWEET.

>> THERE IS SUCH A NEED FOR FOSTER PARENTS AND FOSTER FAMILIES AND GOOD FOSTER HOMES, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS MORE FOSTER KIDS THAN HOMES AVAILABLE.

WHICH IS JUST SAD.

TO THINK ABOUT THESE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED A PLACE TO LIVE AND THAT HOME AND IT'S A CHALLENGE TO FIND THAT FOR THEM.

>> LOOK THERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

>> WE LIKE TO THE FOSTER PIECE, PROVIDING THEM WITH THAT GROUND-LEVEL, THAT BASE LEVEL OF LOVE AND SUPPORT.

KNOWING THAT THEY MAY NOT STAY HERE, BUT GIVING THEM SOMETHING TO AT LEAST HAVE THAT IS GOOD FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT COME TO US IN A GOOD SITUATION AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE FOSTERING.

BUT MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE GIVE THEM, WILL JUST MAKE THEM BETTER IN THE FUTURE WHETHER THEY ARE HERE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.

>> BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE JUST THAT CONSISTENCY AND THE STRUCTURE AND LOVE AND SUPPORT AND BEING ABLE TO HELP THEM START TO LEARN TO FEEL SAFE AND START TO ATTACH AND DO THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY NEED TO HAVE THAT ATTACHMENT, AND BUILD THAT TRUST TO BE ABLE TO THEN ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO GROW AND FOCUS ON OTHER THINGS BESIDES FOCUSING ON BEING SCARED OR BEING WHATEVER THOSE BIGGER FEELINGS ARE.

>> TO KNOW THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME OF THAT STABILITY AND THAT SAFETY, AND ENOUGH LOVE.

>> IN FOSTER CARE THERE IS NO WAY TO PROTECT YOUR HEART, YOU GO INTO IT FULL ON LOVING THESE KIDS, AND THEN KNOWING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR HEART BROKEN.

YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO IT LOVING THAT CHILD WITH ALL YOU HAVE, AND IF THEY LEAVE YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO HER AND YOU KNOW IT'S GOOD TO BE, THERE IS HEARTBREAK.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> SHE'S DEFINITELY A MIRACLE, AND OBVIOUSLY SHE WAS HERE FOR SOME REASON.

SHE CAME IN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> HI BABY GIRL.

HI.

NATALIA.

SHE WAS BORN JANUARY 26, 11:39 AM.

IT IS A MIRACLE.

SHE IS THE ONLY PERSON I HAD WHEN I WAS SICK AND IN THE HOSPITAL ALONE.

SO I DID TALK TO HER OBVIOUSLY, I COULD JUST TALK WITH NO RESPONSE BACK EXCEPT FOR MAYBE SOME KICKS.

SHE WEIGHED 4 LBS.

8 OZ.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

SHE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOWS ALL THE CRYING AND ALL THE LONELINESS AND ALL THE SCARY STUFF NOT KNOWING WHEN THE DOCTORS ARE COMING IN AND TELLING YOU YOU KNOW TO CALL YOUR FAMILY, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT MEDICINES, YOU ARE JUST BY YOURSELF AND SHE WAS WITH ME.

OF COURSE I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW THE MEDICINES WOULD IMPACT HER, BECAUSE THEY ALL TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW.

THEY ALL SAID WE COULD DO THIS AND THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IT WILL DO TO HER.

I WAS SHAKING PROFUSELY, AND IT WAS A FEVER, MY FEVER WAS ALMOST 103, ALMOST 104 EVERY NIGHT I WOULD GET IT, BUT MY BODY WOULD NOT STOP SHAKING I FELT LIKE A GUINEA PIG.

BECAUSE NOBODY KNEW HOW TO TREAT ME BECAUSE AGAIN I'M PREGNANT, AND WITH COVID SO BAD, THEY HAD SEEN POSITIVE COVID AND WOMEN BUT NOTHING LIKE ME.

IT'S JUST AMAZING BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE WERE AT THE POINT WHERE WHAT IF WE BOTH DID NOT MAKE IT, WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE RIGHT NOW.

IT'S JUST CRAZY TO THINK THAT WE WERE BOTH SO, WELL I WAS SICK, I DON'T KNOW TO THIS DAY HOW IT IMPACTED HER IN THE WOMB.

THEY NEVER REALLY TOLD ME, BUT IT IS JUST CRAZY TO THINK THAT SHE'S DOING ALL THIS AND I'M HERE TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS IT.

BUT WE NEVER REFERRED TO HER AS A COVID BABY, BUT WHEN SHE DID COME INTO THE WORLD, I'LL BE HONEST, SHE WAS NOT LIKE BREATHING RIGHT AWAY.

THEY KEPT COUNTING, I WAS ON THE OPERATING TABLE AND I WAS AWAKE, BUT THEY KEPT COUNTING LIKE 15 SECONDS, 30 SECONDS, AND SHE WAS NOT RESPONDING AND THEN FINALLY THEY GOT TO 45 SECONDS AND THEY GOT HER TO BREATHE.

SO THAT WAS JUST LAYING DOWN ON THE BED, SCARY, BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT BREATHING RIGHT AWAY.

SHE'S LIKE MY LITTLE BEST FRIEND.

AND WITH EVERYTHING THAT ME AND HER WENT THROUGH, SHE IS FINE, I'M FINE THANK GOD.

SO SHE'S DEFINITELY A MIRACLE, THAT'S WHAT SHE IS, SHE IS OUR MIRACLE.

CRAZY HOW MY LIFE WAS THEN.

AND NOW IT'S DEFINITELY A WHOLE DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS AMAYA GOMEZ, SHE WAS BORN ON MARCH 31, 2022, THEY ARE EXACTLY 14 MONTHS APART IN AGE.

IT'S A ROLLER COASTER.

A LITTLE CRAZY SOMETIMES HERE WITH ALL THESE FEMALES.

ATHENA IS MY OLDEST DAUGHTER, SHE IS 16 YEARS OLD, MY SECOND DAUGHTER IS ALECIA, SHE IS NINE YEARS OLD.

AND THE WE HAVE OUR THIRD DAUGHTER, AUDIE, AND THEN WE HAVE MISSED NATALIA AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW ADDITION TO THE FAMILY, HERE WE ARE.

I HAVE ALL THE AGE GROUPS.

MOTHER'S DAY MEANS TO ME, JUST BEING HONORED TO BE A MOM, TO BE CALLED THAT EVEN JUST THE WORDING TO BE CALLED A MOM IS AN HONOR.

ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, I HAVE A NEW BUNDLE OF JOY, WE ARE ACTUALLY KIND OF NORMAL, SO THIS MOTHER'S DAY IT FEELS LIKE IT WILL BE SUPER SPECIAL AND SUPERNORMAL WHICH I WANT NORMAL.

>> NORMAL TO ME IS JUST THIS, BEING IN NO MASK, BEING ABLE TO, BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE HOSPITAL WITH THE NATALIA, WE HAD TO BE MASKED IN THE NICU AS WELL WHICH WAS THAT IS NOT NORMAL, YOUR BABY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE YOU SMILE AND EVEN THE NURSES WOULD COMMENT LIKE YOU KNOW IT'S JUST PUT IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO SEE YOU SMILE, THAT'S HOW THEY LEARN.

SO THIS IS JUST NORMAL FOR ME.

BEING ABLE TO BE WITHOUT A MASK AND BEING WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND BEING ABLE TO JUST GO OUT WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY SO MUCH.

THAT IS NORMAL TO ME.

I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR HAVING MY FIVE HEALTHY DAUGHTERS.

IT IS AMAZING, AND I THINK I ONLY HAVE DAUGHTERS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I WAS ONLY MEANT FOR DAUGHTERS, SO GOD IS LIKE YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY SONS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HANDLE THEM.

[KIDS LAUGHING] ♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I DIDN'T ASK MY HUSBAND, I KIND OF SIGNED UP AND THEN 48 HOURS LATER I GOT A PHONE CALL SAYING HEY CAN YOU BE ON A PLANE IN 24 HOURS, SO I KIND OF TURNED TO HIM AND SAID HEY, SO I KNOW WE HAVE A THREE-YEAR-OLD AND A FIVE-YEAR-OLD, AND I KNOW THERE'S LIKE THIS MASSIVE GLOBAL PANDEMIC HAPPENING AND I WANT TO GO TO THE EPICENTER, IS THAT OKAY?

AND OH BY THE WAY OF LEAVING IN 24 HOURS.

I'M COMILLA SASSON, I'M AN ER DOCTOR AND I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING NOW FOR 18+ YEARS.

I WORK HERE THROUGHOUT THE DENVER METRO AREA.

I THINK WITHIN JUST A FEW WEEKS, THE NUMBERS STARTED TO SPIKE IN NEW YORK CITY, AND IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT I NEEDED TO BE OUT THERE TO HELP.

I'M JUST A LITTLE OVERWHELMED, THINKING THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO WALK INTO IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

BUT HERE WE GO.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY CAREER THAT I CANNOT GO BACK TO A BOOK AND SAY OH WHAT IS THIS?

WE WERE LITERALLY LIVING HISTORY.

>> I LOVE YOU, HAVE A NICE DAY.

HUG.

>> YOU DO IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO, AND YOU REALLY WANT TO BE THERE TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE...BUT I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD GET THIS EMOTIONAL, SORRY.

YOU KNOW I THINK THERE'S ALMOST JUST THIS FEAR AND ANXIETY, AND WE WERE, THERE'S A FEAR OF GOING TO THE EPICENTER OF ALL THIS, AND PUTTING MY LIFE ON THE LINE, BUT THERE WAS MORE FEAR OF ME BEING HOME AND BRINGING IT HOME TO MY FAMILY.

AND SO IN SOME WAYS, IT WAS ACTUALLY EASIER FOR ME TO LEAVE AND TO LEAVE THEN FOR MONTH AND ACTUALLY FOR THE NEXT ALMOST YEAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO GET THEM SICK.

>> WE LOVE YOU.

>> I HIT A POINT WHERE I THINK WAS AT THE VERY END OF DECEMBER, I GOT MY FIRST VACCINE, SHOT, AND I FELT LIKE EVERYTHING HAD CHANGED.

AND I WAS LIKE I CAN GO HOME.

>> HI!

>> HI GUYS.

JUST BEING ABLE TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR MY KIDS, MY PURPOSE IN LIFE WAS TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE, AND SO I'M GOING TO GO DO IT.

AND I WILL COME BACK TO MY FAMILY AND I WILL ALWAYS CARE FOR THEM AND I WILL ALWAYS, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE BUT THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE.

AND I WAS JUST FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO EVEN IN OUR HARDEST TIMES, MY HUSBAND WAS BY HIMSELF TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS, LIKE I HAD A VILLAGE WHO HELPED HIM.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN MY COPING MECHANISM IS KNOWING THAT LIKE THROUGH THIS ALL, I HAVE JUST AN AMAZING GROUP OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT ARE GOING TO SUPPORT ME.

EVEN IN MY DARKEST TIMES, AND IN MY BEST TIMES.

SO I HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE IN DENVER AS AN ER DOCTOR, AND ALSO I WORK FULL-TIME FOR THE HEART ASSOCIATION, SO I CAN WENT BACK TO MY REAL-LIFE JOB, I WORK FOR THE VETERANS HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION NATIONALLY AS WELL, BUT REALLY KIND OF THINKING BACK TO MY PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY STUFF I REALLY LIKE, AND IT'S BEEN GOOD.

I THINK IT'S BEEN A GOOD LIKE TRANSITION BACK TO SOME SENSE OF NORMAL.

>> I'M GETTING STUFFY'S COVID 19 SHOT.

>> MY DAUGHTER DID THE CUTEST THING, SHE HAD A VACCINE CLINIC FOR HER STUFFIES THAT SHE WOULD HOST EVERY FEW WEEKENDS.

I HAVE THESE AMAZING VIDEOS OF HER LINING EVERYONE UP ON HER BED SO THEY COULD GET THEIR VACCINE, THIS WAS BEFORE SHE COULD GET HERS.

SHE TELLS ME EVERY TIME I GO OUT EVERY MONTH, IS IT TIME YET?

CAN I GO WORK WITH YOU IN THE ER?

AND I'M LIKE YOU'RE 5.

IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE WAYS AWAY.

BUT SHE IS CONVINCED THAT THAT IS WHAT SHE HAS TO DO, BUT THE COOLEST THING IS LIKE THEY BOTH HAVE THIS INNATE ABILITY TO JUST CARE FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ALL THE TIME, IT IS SOMETIMES ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> HE WAS DARLING AS A LITTLE BOY.

HE WAS JUST DARLING ALL THE WAY AROUND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

IT STARTED WITH DRINKING, THEN MARIJUANA, IT JUST KIND OF ESCALATED TO PILLS, WHERE HIS DRUG OF CHOICE ULTIMATELY.

OPIOIDS.

MY NAME IS SHEILA ENGLISH-OGDEN, AND I AM THE PARENT OF AN ADDICT.

WHO LOST HIS LIFE AS THE RESULT OF FENTANYL POISONING.

IF YOU MET ZACH, YOU WOULD NOT KNOW THAT HE WAS PROBABLY AN ADDICT.

HE WAS VERY GOOD-LOOKING, VERY JOVIAL, AND COULD STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE.

HE WAS ARTISTIC, HE WAS VERY SMART, ZACH WAS SMART.

I MEAN HE WAS A GREAT STUDENT, A BIG BASEBALL PLAYER, THROUGH MOST OF HIS LIFE, AND AN EXTREME SKIER, JUST WOULD TRY ANYTHING.

HE WAS VERY HIGH PERFORMING.

AND HE HAD SO MUCH TO OFFER THE WORLD, AND HE WAS SO TALENTED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

HE ALWAYS YOU KNOW WOULD SAY HE WOULD NEVER GET MARRIED, AND HE WOULD NEVER HAVE CHILDREN.

AND HE JUST WAS LIKE WHY WOULD ANYBODY WANT THIS?

WHY WOULD I WANT TO PASS THIS ON?

SO HE KNEW, HE KNEW HE HAD A PROBLEM.

I AM WORKING ON MYSELF SO THAT I CAN EXPERIENCE LIFE WITH YOU, DAD AND FAMILY AND BE OF SERVICE TO YOU.

IT IS JUST GOING TO TAKE TIME, AND WORK TO GET THERE.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL MOTHER'S DAY, AND KNOW YOU ARE THE BEST MOM I COULD'VE EVER HAD IN THIS LIFE.

I LOVE YOU DEARLY, AND THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME HOW TO BE THE BEST HUMAN I CAN BE.

WITH LOVE YOUR SON ZACH.

HE FELL ASLEEP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND HE WAS VERY MUCH UNDER THE INFLUENCE FROM THAT POINT, IT JUST SNOWBALLED.

HE COULD GET VERY BELLIGERENT, HE COULD GET PHYSICAL, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT IT WAS NEVER INTENTIONAL BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS VERY SORRY THE NEXT DAY.

HE WENT IN 2014 TO HIS FIRST REHAB, HE WANTED HELP AGAIN AND WE SENT HIM TO ANOTHER LONG-TERM FACILITY.

WE WOULD'VE LOVED FOR HIM TO DO MORE, BUT WE COULDN'T AFFORD IT AT THAT POINT.

IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE, $75,000.

ZACH GOT OUT A SILVER LIVING, HE RENTED HIS OWN APARTMENT, AND WAS VERY PROUD OF IT.

IT WAS HIS OWN MONEY THAT HE HAD EARNED, AND THAT WAS IN SEPTEMBER 2019 AND EARLY DECEMBER, ZACH CONFIDED WITH US THAT HE WAS STRUGGLING AGAIN, AND CHRISTMAS DAY, HE WAS OVER HERE AND I COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS OFF.

AND LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW IN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS, HE WAS GOING TO BE GONE.

IT WAS FENTANYL TOXICITY, THAT'S WHAT HE HAD IN HIS SYSTEM, AND IT WAS A PILL THAT LOOKED LIKE AN OXYCONTIN, AND HE TOOK HALF THE PILL.

AND ZACH WAS A BIG STRONG GUY, AND IT JUST LITERALLY FROM HOW HE WAS FOUND, IT DROPPED HIM TO HIS KNEES IN HIS KITCHEN AND HE FELL BACKWARDS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN CAUSES OF DEATH THAT ARE SO HEAVILY JUDGED BY SOCIETY, IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER PARENT, OR-- AND THAT HURTS BECAUSE WE ARE GOOD PARENTS, FENTANYL IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 45.

OVER HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE DIED OF FENTANYL LAST YEAR ALONE, AND THAT WAS MORE THAN CANCER DEATH, THAT WAS MORE THAN CAR ACCIDENTS, IT WAS MORE THAN COVID ALL PUT TOGETHER.

I'M WANTING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON FENTANYL, YOU CANNOT DO ILLICIT DRUGS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT FENTANYL ANYMORE.

IT'S IN EVERYTHING, THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE FOR ZACH, YOU KNOW THERE IS NO JUSTICE, BUT THERE COULD BE JUSTICE FOR THAT NEXT ONE.

BECAUSE I DO WANT TO HONOR ZACH'S LIFE AND KNOW WHAT THAT HE DID NOT DIE IN VAIN.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER IN OCTOBER 2019, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER, MY PRIMARY CARE DOC FOUND A LUMP, SO THEY FIGURED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY STAGE II WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD GATHERED SO FAR.

THEY PUT ME IN A CLINICAL TRIAL AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS GET RE-STAGED WHICH IS A FULL BODY SCAN TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO OTHER CANCER ANYWHERE.

WELL THEY FOUND SOME, IN MY BONES.

THAT MEANS STAGE IV CANCER AND THAT IS INCURABLE, 22% OF PEOPLE WILL LIVE FIVE YEARS AFTER DIAGNOSIS.

THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE A LOT TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT JAY IS TAKEN CARE OF.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHEN MY SON WHO WAS ASSIGNED FEMALE AT BIRTH, I WORRY HOW HE WILL GET HIS GENDER AFFIRMING CARE WHEN HE COULD NO LONGER BE ON MY INSURANCE KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHAT HIS CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, KNOWING HIS CARE IS COVERED IS JUST A HUGE LOAD OFF MY MIND.

HIS MENTAL HEALTH IS SO BAD RIGHT NOW.

HE HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT AND IT'S TAKING ITS TOLL, HE HAS REALLY BAD INSOMNIA, HE IS ALWAYS STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY WHICH IS GOTTEN WORSE, DEPRESSION, A LOT OF TROUBLE EXPRESSING HIS FEELINGS, SO IT'S HARD TO GET HIM TO TALK, WHETHER THAT'S TO ME, OR A COUNSELOR, IT JUST BROKE HIM.

HE HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED A COUPLE TIMES DURING THE PANDEMIC FOR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCIES, IT IS JUST NOT EASY TO BE A KID GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT HE'S GOING THROUGH.

I WISH THAT I COULD JUST GET RID OF THE MAJOR STRESSOR, TOSS IT IN THE TRASH.

THE LOVE THAT I HAVE FOR JAY, HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME PERSON SINCE HE WAS A NEWBORN UP TO 14 YEARS OLD UP TO NOW, SO WHETHER HE WAS PRESENTING AS FEMALE OR MALE, HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME CREATIVE HILARIOUS AWESOME KID AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT INDEBTED OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO VERY MUCH WANTING TO DO MY BEST FOR HIM AND GIVE HIM THE BEST IN LIFE.

IT IS OUR JOB AS PEOPLE TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, THAT'S WHY WE ARE SOCIAL CREATURES, IT'S OUR JOB TO HELP.

AND I WANT HIM TO BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY ENOUGH TO DO THAT HELP.

HE IS A VERY COMPASSIONATE PERSON AND I WANT HIM TO BE IN THE MINDSET TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

BUT WHEN HE IS HOLED UP IN HIS ROOM BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE CLEAN BINDERS OR BECAUSE HE DOESN'T LIKE THE WAY HIS VOICE SOUNDS THAT DAY, OR BECAUSE SUDDENLY THE SHORTS THAT HE'S WEARING, THEY LOOK TOO GIRLY, THEN HE CANNOT GO OUT AND DO THAT.

HE JUST SITS AND WALLOWS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MANDATORY CLASSES IN MEDICAL SCHOOLS ABOUT TREATING TRANSGENDER PATIENTS.

AND HOW TO DO IT, WHY TO DO IT, THE MEDICINES THAT ARE USED, THE DOSES, BECAUSE TOO OFTEN TRANSGENDER PATIENTS ARE EDUCATING THEIR DOCTORS ON WHAT THEIR DOSES ARE, AND WHAT THEIR STRUGGLES ARE, AND WHAT THEY MIGHT NEED IN CASE OF A NASTY SIDE EFFECT.

JUST BE NICE TO THEM, BE DECENT, GOOD PEOPLE.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> THIS IS MIRABELLE.

YOU HAVE LIKELY HEARD OF THIS, OR HAVE EXPERIENCED IT YOURSELF.

>> YOU WANT TO TELL THE STORY?

I KNOW I KNOW.

YOU WEREN'T THERE.

MORE TIME AT HOME MIGHT SPARK A BABY BOOM.

>> RIGHT MORGAN?

SAY YES.

>> WELL IT'S NOT THE CASE NATIONWIDE, BIRTH RATES ARE ACTUALLY DOWN, IT IS THE CASE FOR THE DENVER SALSA DANCING COMMUNITY, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING A MINI BABY BOOM.

>> IT'S IN THEIR BONES, IN THEIR BLOOD, AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE DANCERS.

>> ON TOP OF ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES STRESS AND WORK THAT COMES WITH BEING A NEW MOM, ERIN VASQUEZ, MARY FISHER, AND RIONY WILSON MAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE.

>> WHILE WE WERE PREGNANT, JUST CRAVING MISSING, TO BE CONNECTED.

>> CRAVING TO DANCE, AND CRAVING TO BE THERE FOR EACH OTHER.

>> I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THERE WERE SO MANY OF US, WHICH WAS KIND OF WHY WE DECIDED TO GET THIS THING TOGETHER, AND COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE IDEA OF A MOMMY AND ME SALSA CALENDAR WAS BORN.

AND THE PROCEEDS?

>> NOT ANOTHER THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY WAS GOING TO GO TO.

>> THE PROCEEDS WERE GOING TO GO TO EMPLOYEES OF LA RUMBA, THEIR FAVORITE DANCING SPOT OF DENVER.

>> LA RUMBA QUICKLY BECAME MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

>> IT JUST SPEAKS VOLUMES FOR SOMEONE TO EVEN THINK OF THAT.

>> AFTER WORKING THERE FOR 20 YEARS, DANNY DAWSON WAS THE LAST TO LOSE HER JOB.

>> I WAS SO TOUCHED, I WAS JUST YEAH, I WAS SO TOUCHED AND INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL.

>> SO TOUCHED BY THEIR KINDNESS, SHE DECIDED TO PASS IT ALONG.

>> I'M JUST DIVIDING IT UP BETWEEN THE FOUR EMPLOYEES THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER WORK THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY OUT OF WORK SINCE THE SHUTDOWN.

I'M NOT INCLUDING MYSELF IN THAT.

>> SHE SAID SHE HAS BEEN RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT AND WILL BE OKAY.

BUT HER COLLEAGUES ARE WHO SHE IS WORRIED ABOUT.

>> TOP TO BOTTOM THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE THING, I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR US AS A SOCIETY TO LEARN.

IT'S YOU KNOW, BE A COMMUNITY, HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

>> THE WAY THESE MOTHERS THOUGHT ABOUT OTHERS, BEFORE THEMSELVES AND DANNY, THOUGHT ABOUT HER COLLEAGUES BEFORE HERSELF, SPEAKS TO THE INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY THAT IS DENVER SALSA DANCERS, AND LEBRON BUCK.

>> ENJOY YOUR COMMUNITY, SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY, AND ONLY GOOD THINGS ARE GOING TO COME FROM THAT.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING]