OUR FOUNDER DR. FAUSTINO LLAMAS IBARRA (1950-2017)
He was born in Mexico on February 23, 1950. The eldest of 7, 5 brothers and 2 sisters. Devoted husband, father of 9 and grandfather of 17 grandchildren. Forever responsible, friendly, happy and always looking for a way to help others. When he was still a child, his mother paid him and his siblings for housework so they could have some money to spend. He chose to save up enough money to buy himself a bicycle. Just a few days after purchasing the bike, he found out that the shoemaker´s bike had been stolen and without hesitation, handed him his.
For many people his greatest virtue was happiness. Always smiling and trying to see the bright and optimistic side of any no matter how difficult the situation was. But his sense of responsibility, industriousness, equilibrium, prudence, time management, altruism, religious, were also virtues that characterized him. And because God helps those who get up early, he began his day at 4:30 in the morning, bathed with cold water, studied something and went to holy mass at 5:30
Extremely patient, great with children, always playing with his grandchildren but also instilled in them to optimize and maximize time. He played the flute and was passionate to do so with his grandchildren … Always looking forward to the day of their weekly lesson. Regarding his academic background he was an honored medical graduate from UNAM[ https://www.unam.mx ] with a specialty in neurosurgery.
He was fascinated by the brain and being a doctor was the perfect way to help people. He was always studying something new. He said that studying is the sport of the brain. He learned to speak English, French, Chinese, Portuguese, Esperanto, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic plus he read and write in Braille. In 2014 he obtained a master’s degree in marketing and would have graduated from law school in December 2017. 38 years of his career were dedicated to medical research concentrated in spinal cords and brain tumors.
In addition to having a clear medical calling, teaching was part of his daily life. For more than 25 years he taught at various Universities around Querétaro and was the founder of “Clínica Neurológica de Querétaro el Instituto de Rehabilitación de Querétaro” (Neurological Clinic Rehabilitation Institute)
Born in Aguascalientes, spent his childhood and youth in Mexico City, and had Zacatecan inheritance (from Zacatecas, Mexico) but carried Queretaro in his heart, where his altruistic work is more noticeable. In 1983 he arrived to Queretaro with his wife and their first 5 children. He began working as a neurosurgeon for La Seguridad Social (healthcare system) where he grew a reputation for warm humanitarian qualities and the preferential treatment he offered his patients.
As a physician dedicated to neurosurgery, he saw cerebral palsy a “vulnerable spot” in society. This is why in 1987 he founded Casa Hogar San Pablo, with the purpose to accommodate low-income boys and girls, with intellectual disabilities, whose families were unable or unwilling to care for them.
Afterwards he thought that since women tend to be even more vulnerable to suffer from abuse and in 1999 Casa Hogar María Goretti, was founded hosting girls and women with intellectual disabilities who suffer in conditions of poverty and indigence.The Maximiliano María Kolbe House (2010), the Salvador Rivera García House (2005) in Sanjuan del Río and the Laura Vicuña House (2016) in San Luis de la Paz, followed with the same intention.
The lives of girls found in garbage cans, abandoned in hospitals, who were wandering the streets, tied up in their homes, have been abused by their families are being saved thanks to this labor. His work also extends to Peru with a day center for people with disabilities and to Cuba with an asylum.
He used his life extremely well, 67 years dedicated to the greater good doing the right thing. On September 30, 2017 he passed away in a road accident, as usual, doing good deeds.