In Tijuana is Hugo García, a man who has been searching the streets for the livelihood of his house for 10 years in a unique and original way: disguised as the animated character “Shrek”, with whom he also wants to help society.
“We are in the fight, we are in life, life brings you everything and you have to take it as it comes, with hope and with a good feeling”
Painted green and with the typical clothing that distinguishes the ogre from the animation, Hugo takes to the streets and turns every corner to take pictures with the curious who approach him, he also attends social events.
He calls himself the “Shrek of Tijuana” and shares joy not only with his followers, but also with his own family, because the idea of personifying this character arose from the need to raise money for medical treatments and chemotherapy for his wife.
“It has been 10 years since we encountered the number one enemy of the human being who is cancer in my wife Martha Beatriz Vázquez, she has already had 17 chemotherapies and we have been hand in hand with God because without God we cannot do things ”Said Hugo.
He recognized that the population is the one who provides material aid, from money to pantries, when they are collected decides to share with the most deprived, such as shelters, orphanages and communities abandoned by the authorities.
“We are in the fight, we are in life, life brings you everything and you have to understand it as it comes, with hope and a good feeling, now we are here and tomorrow we do not know, but always do good deed and the battle for a man, ”he stated.
The Tijuana Shrek is recognized by local, national and international media outlets and has been contacted by leading brands such as the World Boxing Council and Tijuana I Love 664.
The inspiration for Hugo García, he said, is his wife and health, as well as his daughter, who also sometimes supports him by dressing up as Fiona, Shrek’s loyal partner according to the DreamWorks story.
García tries not only to make a living with character, but also to bring a human feeling into the communitybecause it has donated face masks, diapers, pantries, clothing and even kitchens to those in need during the medical emergency.
“A few minutes ago I gave more than 60 diapers to children who also miss little things, and I thank the people who support me, who are from the United States and bring things to my house that I can donate,” he said .
He recalled that he also provided assistance to those who lost their homes due to natural phenomena such as fires, rain, landslides, among others.
“Now that the houses in (nearby) El Rubí are burned, we give away toys, we give food, we give televisions, there in the El Niño district, we give joy there in the La Miseria district, because there is nothing, there is no light, there is no water, nothing ”, he said.
Hugo García is one of thousands of Tijuana residents who look for food from home every day, but he does it in a different way and on several occasions has been seen with top-level politicians joining them at social events, as well as with some of the artists and sports figures who visit Tijuana.
It is common to see the “Tijuana Shrek” walking through the urban zone of the Tijuana River, Revolution Avenue, the international guard houses, the municipal palace or downtown, always accessing a photo and giving sweets to the children who greet him .
JM