The Steve Lopez touch

Since Steve Lopez’s first column last week on Carmen Mendoza — the Bell Gardens mother who endures 15-hour workdays and rides up to nine buses a day to shuttle her children to high-quality but distant schools — more than two dozen readers have written to express their awe at her dedication to her family. Some told of how Lopez’s most recent column on Wednesday — a follow-up piece reporting how reader Hector Delgadillo and his employees bought Mendoza a family car — moved them to tears.

I’ve written before that most of the letters we receive react negatively to articles in The Times. Several readers said Lopez’s columns on Mendoza were a welcome break from depressing news; in that spirit, reading the letters on these two columns has been a pleasant diversion for me.

— Paul Thornton, letters editor

Santa Barbara resident Carol Eichler praises Lopez and Mendoza:

“I was greatly moved by Steve Lopez’s follow-up column on Mendoza, a dedicated parent who rides up to nine buses a day to support her kids’ education.

“Nothing could be more reflective of the true spirit of Christmas than Delgadillo’s selfless collecting of employee donations — as well as providing his own — to fund the purchase of a car for Mendoza. Delgadillo’s empathy, having lived a similar life as a young man, and thoughtful words to Mendoza (‘God is with you, Carmen’), brought tears to my eyes.

“What a beautiful story. Thanks to Lopez for such meaningful journalism.”

Mike and Cathy Pollak warn that car commuting isn’t necessarily liberating:

“Lopez wrote a touching article showing how the generosity of Delgadillo and his employees will better enable Mendoza’s children to attend schools far from their home.

“But the Mendozas will still spend time commuting. And there now will be another motor vehicle on the road, impairing traffic and air quality.

“The Mendozas could instead relocate to a home near Carmen’s job and the kids’ schools. Better still, the Mendozas could stay in Bell Gardens, have the children attend their local schools, and use the money and time saved to improve their local schools.

“That could help alleviate all four problems: the time commuting, traffic, air quality and the quality of neighborhood schools.”

Sherman Oaks resident Frances Terrell Lippman welcomes the occasional uplifting read:

“Every time I read a column by Lopez, I am reminded of the gifts he gives to his readers.

His piece on Delgadillo, who read the previous week’s column about Mendoza’s long bus rides for her and her children and decided to pay it forward and give her a minivan, was just the most generous act of kindness.

“News reports are usually full of tragedy and sadness, and when a wonderful, positive story needs telling, Lopez swoops in and finds just the right one to share.

“Thanks to him for all he gives to us. Please keep telling these human stories; we always need them, and they need to be told.”

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