THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996              TAG: 9610110488
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY DIANE TENNANT, STAFF WRITER 
                                            LENGTH:   45 lines

FUND SET UP FOR GIFTS TO PARALYZED MIGRANT THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WAS INJURED IN A CAR CRASH AUG. 1 ON THE EASTERN SHORE.

A bank account has been set up to collect donations for a paralyzed migrant worker, but nothing can catch the tears of those who have been touched by his story, Catholic workers said.

``We got tons of calls,'' said Janice Sigala, who works in the Cristo Rey Hispanic Community office. ``I heard this woman crying on the phone, saying, `My grandchild's nanny is from Mexico and I would die if something like this happened to her.' ''

The migrant worker, Marcos Gonzales, was paralyzed from the chest down Aug. 1 on the Eastern Shore when the car he was riding in wrecked. His brother-in-law, seated next to him, was killed.

An illegal alien, Gonzales must return to Mexico as soon as he is discharged from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he has been a patient for two months.

His family is coming to Norfolk this weekend to be trained to provide the 24-hour care he will need, including suctioning his lungs, turning him every three hours and fending off pneumonia.

The Catholic church, long an advocate for poor migrant workers, has been trying to help Gonzales but has been unable to find a way to get him into long-term care or therapy in the United States.

Sigala said she has received $795 so far for Gonzales.

``Many people reflect on a person who has given of himself and is having a hard time now,'' she said. ``We are getting donations in order to get as much supplies and all the equipment that he needs so he can take it back to Mexico and be able to survive, at least for a while. The supplies will eventually run out. We are not sure what will happen then.''

Cristo Rey also needs translators who speak Spanish and English to interpret for nurses and doctors who will train the family next week.

Gonzales welcomes visitors, Sigala said. MEMO: Donations for Marcos Gonzales may be sent to Cristo Rey Hispanic

Community, 405 S. Parliament Drive, Suite 101, Virginia Beach, Va.

23462. Make checks payable to Cristo Rey Hispanic Community. For more

information, call 490-7896.

KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC INJURIES MIGRANT WORKER

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT EASTERN SHORE by CNB