Vicente Escobedo was a family man. That’s why
his daughter’s word hurt so much, and spurred him
to do the right thing
– quit smoking.
Vicente, a 21-year-old, hardworking San Antonio native and father of two daughters, is a resource specialist for the San Antonio Fatherhood Campaign, where he helps mentor young fathers to make healthy, strong families. He began to realize that he was doing something that wasn’t making his own family strong or healthier – he was smoking.
Vicente first tried cigarettes at age 16. By 18, he was smoking two packs a week. But his daughter’s urging and the soaring price of cigarettes led Vincente to stop smoking.
In the 10 months since he has quit, he has seen how young people think smoking cigarettes makes them cool and macho, and he doesn’t
easier and lung function increases. The health benefits continue to increase the longer
smokers go without cigarettes.
Vicente knows that his family is healthier now that he’s quit smoking. He wants to help other families down the same path to quitting harmful behaviors, so he’s studying for an associate’sdegree in child
Vicente knows that his family is healthier now that he’s quit smoking. He wants to help other families down the same path to quitting harmful behaviors, so he’s studying for an associate’sdegree in child
want his daughter to
fall into the same thinking, so he
wants to lead by example. To him,
the macho thing is to take care of
himself and his family: “Machismo
is to be a protector of your family
– working, showing pride in your
family, being a caretaker for your
family. So I follow that value of machismo and I really take pride in having it.”
“Daddy, you smell ugly. You smell
like smoke.” These words, spoken
by his daughter, helped Vicente
Escobedo quit smoking.
development at St. Phillips Community College. “I dream of having my own nonprofit agency – helping teenagers get the right resources, how to not do drugs, how to not drink and drive – basicallyeverything that a
teenager needs to know in order
to be a productive citizen,”
says Vicente.
Vicente knows that continuing to stay away from cigarettes may not be easy. It takes willpower, but having determination and working hard for what you think is best for you and your family is what being a man is all about. As they say, most smokers start when they are boys, but it takes a man to quit.
Vicente knows that continuing to stay away from cigarettes may not be easy. It takes willpower, but having determination and working hard for what you think is best for you and your family is what being a man is all about. As they say, most smokers start when they are boys, but it takes a man to quit.
He also understands how smoking
harms your health. “I understand
the health effects that it does
to me. So not being able to run
as good with my daughter…
knowing that it affects my health
dramatically, that is one of my main
focuses,” he says about quitting.
Quitting smoking can actually heal a person’s body, said Dr. Luis Angel, director of the Lung Transplantation Program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He said the body begins repairing and healing the damages of smoking within 20 minutes of that last cigarette.
After two weeks of not smoking, walking becomes
Quitting smoking can actually heal a person’s body, said Dr. Luis Angel, director of the Lung Transplantation Program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He said the body begins repairing and healing the damages of smoking within 20 minutes of that last cigarette.
After two weeks of not smoking, walking becomes
