At Wider Circle, trust grows from the smallest moments – a helping hand, a patient ear, a willingness to show up.
Meet Eulogio A. from rural Acton, who can’t read or write in English. Simple tasks like reading mail or filling out medical forms felt overwhelming and isolating. But through his facilitator Sandra Reyes’ patient support, what began with doubt became a story of connection and resilience.
Eulogio’s story reminds us that real connection goes beyond conversation. It’s about showing up with trust and compassion to help people overcome their hardest challenges.
When Reading Was Out of Reach, Trust Bridged the Gap
Unable to read or write, Eulogio faced daily obstacles – until Sandra’s compassion turned confusion into connection and opened the door to better health.
Eulogio A. lives in rural Acton and faces daily challenges many of us take for granted. Because he cannot read or write, even simple tasks like opening a doctor’s letter or filling out a form can feel overwhelming.
When Wider Circle Member Engagement Lead Sandra Reyes first called about helping him set up an Annual Wellness Visit, Eulogio was wary. “You’re either a scam, or you’re going to come see me,” he told her bluntly. Sandra reassured him and he agreed to meet, but only in person.
When she asked for his address, he said he didn’t know it. Sandra asked him to find a recent letter sent to him, and that’s when he admitted, “I can’t read or write.” Determined to help, Sandra suggested they work together to find a solution. That’s when Eulogio had an idea: “Call me tomorrow.”
The next morning at nine, Sandra called exactly as promised. By then, Eulogio had walked miles to the nearest McDonald’s with some mail. He approached a customer and asked for help, handing them the phone so they could read his address to Sandra. “Can you tell her where I live?” he asked.
Sandra didn’t hesitate. She drove miles down unpaved dirt roads to reach his farm. When she arrived, Eulogio told her, “I honestly didn’t think you were going to come.
Sitting together outside, she began helping him sift through a mountain of unopened mail. Piece by piece, she explained the letters from his doctor – reminders for checkups, physicals, and annual wellness visits he had never been able to read.
Sandra helped him fill out his health questionnaire, and when they reached the question “How are you doing?” something shifted. “He opened up his heart,” Sandra recalls.
He shared deeply personal struggles, including the loss of his son, and admitted, “I have a lot of pain in my heart.” For the first time in a while, he felt truly heard and supported.
Eulogio thanked Sandra sincerely. “He was so happy that we helped him take the first steps to better health,” she shared.
Today Sandra is helping Eulogio take his next steps and connecting him with care that meets his needs, building a support system, and reminding him he doesn’t have to face life’s challenges alone.
For Sandra, helping Eulogio was more than just part of her job – it was deeply personal. Born in Mexico and raised in an immigrant family where English was her second language, she often helped her own relatives read and write from a young age. These experiences shaped the compassion she brings to her work today. “It means a lot to me to be that voice for someone who can’t speak,” she said.
Thank you, Eulogio, for showing us the courage it takes to ask for help. And thank you, Sandra, for reminding us that compassion and trust can open doors to health and hope.
Thank you to our sponsors, whose support makes it possible to share life-changing stories like Eulogio’s every day.
About the author: Jamie Zale
Wider Circle
