The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 163

3 HIALEAH HOW TO HELP 2006 19, IN A TERRIBLE STATE To jarrez, Riveros, offer call assistance 786-256-1802. Michelle to Man- the JANUARY A RECUPERATE HIALEAH FAMILY FROM A IS TRAGIC STRUGGLING ACCIDENT TO THURSDAY, flies," Yainelys recalled. THAT LEFT FOUR FAMILY MEMBERS DEAD "It wasn't clean. There AND TWO OTHERS BADLY INJURED your wasn't blood even equipment pressure," to added take HERALD the girls' grandmother Marta BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA instantly. Niebla, who flew to Cuba to be INVIN Yanela, 4, was sitting on her by her granddaughters' sides Almost from the moment mother's lap in the front pas- after the accident.

3H1 they arrived in the United senger's seat when the acci- Needless to say, Yainelys' trip dollars States, started Five back the to years saving 4,000 Cuba. of up to Rivero for be a hard-earned exact family return in dent uncle. Both between Yainelys happened. girls her was aunt riding survived and in back, great the been High. having blancas modeling put to on modeling classes return hold.

at to She school John Hialeah dreads Casa- have MiamiHerald.com sent Julio Rivero and Yolexy crash, but were badly injured. "I don't want to go back to Yanta and daughters Yainelys "Everybody said that it's a school because I don't want Perez and Yanela, home for miracle that they are alive," TIM HERALD STAFF anyone to feel sorry for me," NW the holidays. said Rivero, who was visiting Yainelys said. It was going to be "the trip" his mother at the time of the TRAGEDY: Four-year-old Yanela Rivero lost her mother For the time being, classes of a lifetime, said Rivero, a accident. and her leg in a car crash in Cuba.

She and her sister, will be brought to her. freelance mechanic from Hia- The girls were rushed to also seriously injured, are in recovery. Meanwhile, Rivero must leah. different hospitals Yanela balance the competing It turned out to be anything to a nearby hospital in Sancti leg, it had to be amputated. ing home.

demands of work and spendbut. Yainelys to one in "They had operated three She knows, too, that her ing time with his girls. Six days before Christmas, Camaguey. Yainelys had a times on her femoral artery, dream of becoming a model is "There are so many aspects Yanta, her daughters and four ruptured liver, broken femur but there was no circulation," slipping away. of this tragedy; I don't think relatives were making their and sizable gash across her said Rivero.

At the hospital in Cama- it's fair for a man to have to go way back to Camaguey from forehead. She says she doesn't The little girl awoke after guey, doctors performed four make a living when he should Sancti Spiritus, where they remember much about the four days in a coma to dis- surgeries on her right leg, be with these girls," said famwere visiting other family. It accident, only that she woke cover she had lost not only her where they inserted a metal ily friend Michelle Manjarrez. was shortly after 8 a.m., "we up in the hospital after sur- mother, but also her leg. rod, reattached her perforated Manjarrez is trying to get were all sleeping," Yainelys, gery.

Sometimes she understands liver leaving a long, vertical assistance for the family as 16, recalled. Yanela was far worse. Her the grim reality. Sometimes scar along her abdomen and Rivero supports his daughter And then, a truck headed in left leg was crushed in the she doesn't. clumsily closed up the scar on and step-daughter while they the other direction on the nar- accident and her left arm was "She's always hoping her her forehead.

She will need recuperate. row two-lane highway cut fractured. There is also some mom will come back to take plastic surgery to fix it. Manjarrez is trying to set over, trying to pass another nerve damage to her arm; it care of her," her father says. Until Friday, Yainelys still up a fund to help the family car, when it hit the family's could be months before doc- "She says she doesn't ever could not walk.

but is mired in paper work. rented Toyota head-on. tors can determine just how want to go back to Cuba." She had to be carried like a "He should have time a Yanta, her uncle, her sister- severe. Rivero's step-daughter, baby. She bemoans the medi- cushion not to think of, in-law and her sister-in-law's Because the blood was not Yainelys, is old enough to cal treatment she had in Cuba.

'how can I feed these but 3-month-old child were killed circulating properly to her left know her mom is never com- "The room was full of to be with them." MIAMI LAKES Together forever: Sister cities will come together today I A delegation from Desamparados, Costa Rica, Is expected in Miami Lakes today to visit Its sister city. BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA the coming years, as the two municipalities become sister On the surface, Miami cities. Lakes and Desamparados, Under the Sister City InterCosta Rica, have little in com- national program, U.S. cities, mon. counties and states form a One boasts 144 years of his- partnership with similar juristory, just under 200,000 peo- dictions in other nations.

The ple and was built along a cities invest in each other's ravine in the bustling metro- economies, send students to politan province of San Jose. each other's schools and supThe other is a 44-year-old port development in each othplanned community settled on er's communities. dairy farm land on the fringes Today, Miami Lakes leadof Miami-Dade County, home ers will welcome a delegation to roughly 20,000. of officials from DesamparaYet both will get to know a dos for two days of festivities lot more about the other over and sight-seeing. Although they might seem ados.

There, they toured the tours of the town's schools, worlds apart, it turns out, they city's schools and businesses, business district, parks and share many similarities. visited the rain forest and police station. Both municipalities only were treated to a parade. Alonso said he had been gained control of local govern- "They treated us very, very working on starting up a sister ment five years ago, said well. They were great hosts," city program for three years, Miami Lakes Councilman said Bob Spano, chairman of when he was first approached Roberto Alonso, who spear- the town's Cultural Affairs by the Costa Rican consulate.

headed the Sister City pro- Committee, who was among A newly formed municipality gram in Miami Lakes. the group to visit Costa Rica. at the time, Miami Lakes "When they gave us a pre- Likewise, town officials wasn't quite ready to take sentation, they had their goals have a series of activities another city under its wing. set up exactly like ours," planned for the Costa Ricans' Now, Alonso says he has Alonso said. "A mission with a arrival.

At 1 p.m. today, there high hopes. vision." will be a ceremony on Main "I'm looking to establish a The partnership between Street, with a performance by relationship where we can the two cities began in July the Barbara Goleman High exchange with each other for when Miami Lakes Mayor Jazz Band, where the Costa years," Alonso said. Wayne Slaton, Alonso and Rican officials will be pre- The sister city relationship members of the town's various sented with a key to the town. will be finalized at the next committees visited Desampar- The delegates also will get Town Council meeting..