From Business Insider · Andrea Fernandez Henao · · 2m
The stranger who became my grandmother
A woman in her twenties moved into a 76-year-old's spare room in Queens and found the family connection she'd been missing.
In brief
A woman in her twenties moved into a 76-year-old's spare room in Queens and found the family connection she'd been missing. Andrea Fernandez Henao moved in with Carmelina, a 76-year-old Colombian woman in Queens, and discovered a grandmother figure who transformed her approach to community and friendship. Originally…
Stuck in Florida after the strike
Andrea Fernandez Henao graduated from college in New York City during the Writers Guild of America strike that lasted over 100 days and struggled to find work in television.
Three years commuting from home
She moved back to South Florida with her parents and took a two-hour commute to a Miami job, leaving her exhausted and isolated from friends in the city she loved.
A four-minute phone call changes everything
A family friend mentioned Carmelina, a 76-year-old Colombian woman in Queens who rented her spare bedroom. Andrea called and within four minutes had found her new home.
“her spare room was available for just a few months, and asked only for my move-in date and if I liked arepas”
Seven hundred dollars a month in Queens
Carmelina offered the room for seven hundred dollars monthly, a special price for being recommended by the family friend she adored. Andrea arrived in August without ever seeing her new roommate.
Thirty-five years in the same building
Carmelina had lived in the same building for 35 years and spent most of her days at a nearby barbershop, sweeping floors and bringing lunch to friends she'd known for decades.
A widow seeking company after ten years
Carmelina had been a widow for 10 years and started renting her spare bedroom after a church friend needed housing. Andrea was the third young woman to stay with her.
Pushed out of her shell by example
Carmelina's confidence and community involvement inspired Andrea to overcome her own shyness. She began making small talk with strangers and accepting opportunities she would have declined before.
Reconnecting with old friends intentionally
Watching Carmelina maintain lifelong friendships taught Andrea to be more intentional about her own. She now calls friends during walks and has reconnected with college friends and former roommates.
The grandmother she always wished for
Andrea never met her maternal grandmother and her paternal grandmother died before they could bond. Carmelina filled that void by leaving her notes, cooking for her, and calling her a good girl.
“When she cooks for me and tells me I'm a good girl, my eyes well up.”
Staying in touch after moving on
Andrea is leaving Carmelina's apartment soon to start a new job in Manhattan, but the two plan to stay in touch and maintain their close relationship.
The bottom line
Andrea Fernandez Henao moved in with Carmelina, a 76-year-old Colombian woman in Queens, and discovered a grandmother figure who transformed her approach to community and friendship.
