“Everyone has a story of how our father helped them, he was so positive and was known to have a sixth sense about things,” says Kike. “I remember there was one woman who came into the kiosk upset because she had no money. ‘You know what?’ my dad said, ‘Let’s play the‘chance’ (the latino lottery), today I can feel this this is going to be our lucky number. She didn’t have any money, so dad said he’ll do it and they could split it. When he found out they won, he gave her half the money. That’s just the kind of thing dad would do every day.”
Hector Marmolejo arrived in the UK in 1994 with his 5 children. His wife, Maria, had come to London 4 years earlier, worked as a cook and sent back money to Colombia, where Hector looked after the 5 children. Finally reunited in London and the chance for a better life, they settled like a duck to water; Maria and Hector and the older boys worked as cleaners and cooks, while the younger siblings went to school.
Hector was hugely proud of his children; Julian now a dance teacher, Kike a football referee and security guard, Jorge a Residential development manager, Hector Jnr. facilities assistant at the Queen’s Estate and his baby girl Sandra, a hair dresser - “with a Masters in Hair Colouring!” as Hector used to boast to his friends. Sandra was also about to be a mother in March for the first time and she and the baby were going to stay with them after the birth. Hector couldn't wait.
In the last days of Sandra’s pregnancy, Hector started feeling ill. Sandra was already installed in the house and having contractions. Not wanting to alert anyone about his symptoms, he suffered silently until 17th March, the day after Sandra went into labour, when he collapsed in the bathroom. Maria called for an ambulance and Hector was admitted to Kings College hospital.
Within the next 24 hours doctors informed Hector they wanted to put him in a coma. “They still hadn’t told him he had tested positive for COVID.” Says Kike “But I think he knew. He wouldn’t allow them to put him to sleep until he saw his grandson. On March 18th little Hector Valentino was born and Hector was able to see his grandson via video call. He smiled weakly and then told the doctors. ‘I am ready now.’”
Hector never woke up.
Sandra also had COVID and had endured her labour with a temperature of 40 degrees. “When she found out about her father she was inconsolable and has been since,” says her brother Hector Jr.
Hector’s death left a whole family distraught, but also a community. All the Colombians in Elephant & Castle know The Marmolejos and Hector was the heart and soul of the community, a father-figure to many. In the café where Hector frequented, they still leave the seat where he always sat, empty.
Watch The Marmolejos full story as part of Fuerza London - a film commemorating the experience of London's Latin community during COVID, through music, dance, poetry and real life stories here
