Hanover Park woman realizes US citizenship dream

After spending weeks in a coma, Enriqueta Juarez, 83, of Hanover Park, fulfilled her dream of becoming an American citizen during an oath ceremony performed June 1 at Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines.

Juarez had expressed her desire to become a United States citizen before she died and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services came to the hospital to complete the process.

Juarez, born in 1928 in Mexico and a lawful permanent resident, had already been interviewed once in connection with her application for naturalization but was hospitalized March 8, underwent emergency surgery, and spent the next four weeks in a coma. On the third day of her a coma, the family was told she had 24 hours to live.

However, she was connected to artificial life support and kept alive, awakening from her coma in April. She has been recovering at Holy Family since that time, though she hopes to go home.

As the result of her hospitalization, she missed a follow-up interview with immigration officials, which the family was afraid would require they restart the naturalization process.

However, immigration officials agreed to conduct a bedside interview, leading on June 1 to the administration of the oath.