There's a follow-up story about Marisleysis in today's Herald.
May 26, 2000, in the Miami Herald
A relaxed Marisleysis moving on
After raid, cousin `holding up well'
BY MEG LAUGHLIN
mlaughlin@herald.com
Marisleysis Gonzalez's hair is heavily blond-streaked. She is tan, slimmer than
ever. She has a full set of braces on her teeth, rather than the retainer she wore
for many public appearances.
And despite what she wants, she realizes she has no control over what
happens to Elian, her friends say.
``She has developed a healthier attitude,'' says Roxana Revello, her former
cosmetology teacher from Miami High School, who has remained close to the
young woman. ``Before, she thought she had to keep him here. Now, she says
that whatever happens is up to God and is for the best.''
About a month ago, Gonzalez quit her job as an assistant loan processor at
Ocean Bank on Le Jeune Road to rest before pursuing a career as a hair
stylist. In January, she passed two of the three state tests required to do this.
In a few months, according to Revello, she should be hard at it.
The 21-year-old Gonzalez has moved from the much-publicized family home
in Little Havana (where Elian was forcibly removed by federal agents April 22)
to a pink deco home in Silver Bluff, between Coral Way and Southwest 12th
Avenue.
``Just relaxing here with friends,'' she said outside the home on Thursday. ``I
am holding up well.''
``This stress-free time has helped her,'' says her friend, Yassiel Veciana.
But as recently as two weeks ago, she was still turning up in 911 emergency
medical calls.
Records of the calls show that Gonzalez continues to be afflicted by anxiety
attacks and illness -- the latest incident just two weeks ago.
On May 4, Gonzalez fainted in a LeJeune Road movie lobby, and a bystander
called 911.
``It is Marisleysis,'' said the anonymous caller on the 911 tape. ``She was
nervous. Someone made a bad impression on her. She passed out.''
Veciana was with her for one of three emergency runs to a hospital in April. At
the time, Gonzalez, ill with problems related to the colitis she has had for
several years, spent four days in Mercy Hospital. (Colitis, lesions in the colon,
is believed to be stress-related.)
``Marisleysis is such a sensitive person. She has always worn her heart on her
sleeve,'' Revello said. ``Those of us who know her worry about her because
we know how fragile she is -- how susceptible to sudden heartache.''
The medical emergency two weeks ago was her ninth since Elian's arrival last
November.
Fire-rescue billing records over several years show that Gonzalez suffers from
``acute emotional anxiety'' and ``panic attacks.'' In the 12 times she has been
treated by fire rescue since 1996, she has exhibited a variety of stress-related
symptoms: severe intestinal pain, repeated vomiting, fainting,
semi-consciousness and shallow breathing.
Before Gonzalez graduated from Miami High in 1997, she repeatedly applied
to be a teacher's aide in a Miami elementary school when she graduated. But
despite glowing recommendations from several teachers, she was not hired by
the public school system because her grades were below average and she had
been forced out of the local community college for repeatedly dropping
classes.
``Academics are not her thing, but she is wonderful with small children,'' says a
former teacher who asked not to be named.
After high school, Gonzalez left a part-time job as a receptionist at Pep Boys
in Little Havana and became a shampoo girl at a Coral Way hair salon. Then
in 1999, she joined Ocean Bank, and now plans to begin a new career.
``You have to wish her success,'' Revello said. ``Whether you agree with what
she wants for Elian or not, you should know that she always has good
intentions.'' |
