Meet The Guzman Family: A Second Chance at Happiness

This originally appeared as a feature article in Brecksville Living Magazine.

F. Scott Fitzgerald writes, “there are no second acts in American lives.” The Guzman family would respectfully disagree.

The Guzman family story is one of loss, struggle, renewal, and ultimately, happiness.

Life was going well for Ramon and Hollie Guzman. He had a good job as a shift supervisor at Coca-Cola. She worked at the Cleveland Clinic, and together they were raising three young children. They enjoyed a comfortable and loving home in Brecksville.

Then tragedy struck.

Hollie went to work one day, complained of a headache, and was rushed to the ER. She was diagnosed with a brain bleed and passed away two days later. It was the summer of 2016.

Ramon was, understandably, devastated. He was unsure how to go on, but he knew he had to for the sake of his and Hollie's children: Alden, Lola and Landon--ages 9, 7 and 3 respectively, at the time.

The family grieved, and in time, Ramon met Angela Rapchak, a local fifth grade teacher.

Too special to give up on

Ramon was uncertain if he'd ever marry again or have more children. The couple's first year together was difficult, but after meeting his children, Angela felt that Ramon and the kids were too special to give up on.

After a year of dating, "Ramon's heart was able to fully open again," says Angela. The two were married in June of 2019. It was during their honeymoon in Antigua that Ramon changed his mind about having more kids, and today, Alden (now 15), Lola (13) and Landon (9) have a baby sister Josephina (1).

The Guzman family lives near the center of Brecksville. "We enjoy living close to the schools in a kind and friendly neighborhood," she says. "We also have a large backyard for our kids to play."

Ramon still holds his position as a shift supervisor at Coca-Cola, and Angela--who has an undergraduate degree from John Carroll University, and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Ursuline College--carries on teaching fifth grade English Language Arts (ELA) in Nordonia Hills City Schools.

Alden and Landon currently play baseball, with Alden now also enjoying weight lifting, while Landon is finding himself particularly adept at math. Lola made the middle school cheerleading squad, which gives Angela a special thrill, as she was herself a cheerleader in high school and college. (When Angela was just of college, she became a member of the Indians' Fun Bunch. "We danced on the dugouts, ran around with Slider, entertained fans and did in-park promotions. It was a childhood dream come true," she recalls.)

Major League Baseball remains Angela's favorite sport, while Ramon, an Ohio State University graduate, is a rabid Buckeye football fan. The couple enjoys cruising around on Ramon's Harley when time permits, but more than anything, the family just spends time in the backyard, indulging in a variety of sports and activities.

Ramon is the cook in the family. His parents moved to Ohio from Puerto Rico when he was age five, bringing along many of the island's culinary traditions. "His rice and beans is to die for," reports Angela.

Angela credits an unlikely ally for helping to strengthen the family bond, the COVID pandemic. "Sure, we got bored at times [during lockdown] and missed extended family and friends," she says, "but I liked the extra family time. We were playing games (Parcheesi is our favorite), relaxing by the fireplace, eating delicious food, and simply hanging out."

The Guzman family has decidedly rebounded from its loss, and is well into its "second act." While the kids call Angela "Mom," the family members keep Hollie alive in their hearts. Hollie's ashes are kept in an urn in the dining room. Flanking it on one side is a photo of the family with Hollie, and on the other, one of the family with Angela. Additional photos of Hollie and the kids still line the stairway leading to the kids' rooms, and every year the family celebrates Hollie's birthday. Angela notes, "every time we see a rainbow, we mention Hollie."

The struggle has been real for the Guzman family, but they have emerged united. "No matter what happens," Angela says, "the six of us always have each other to lean on."