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Family Honor is based on the life story of Marta Ortega a twenty four year old executive secretary working in the City Hall offices of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.  She is a beautiful and educated woman who in 1947 was forced into an arranged marriage or decide to elope for love.  Her betrothed was from a highly respected and wealthy family who if she married would bring honor in the conjoining of two great families.  Her love is Ramirez the city’s young Chief of Police who is challenged with fighting organized crime and a drug war but has also determined to make Marta his wife at any cost.

This story is set in 1947 in the city of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a border city just south of El Paso, Texas and ends in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County 2010.  It is told in the third person.  Based on a true life story but due to the nature of some of the events, liberties were taken to make this story more interesting, real names have been changed to fictitious ones to protect the privacy of those involved.

When Ramirez first met Miss Ortega, he determined then that she would be his wife, whether she knew it or not.  Don Pablo, Marta’s father, was a drummer for Los Reyes, a local big band group playing music from Basie to Goodman for patrons from across the US border and nearby Fort Bliss Air Force Base who flocked to the Juárez night club scene.  Pedro Valdez, the leader of the band and friend with Pablo since youth agree to the marriage of Marta and Miguel, a sax player, youngest of four musician Valdez brothers, and member of Los Reyes.

Ramirez was not one to give up, however.  After a series of written communications, he and Marta agree to elope to El Paso, Texas and start a new life.  After a week of preparation, Ramirez disappears leaving Marta broken hearted and decides to continue with the marriage to Miguel.  The story takes time to describe a Mexican wedding and its preparations.  Miguel’s musical career comes to an end when he gets into a car accident while intoxicated and lacerates his neck.  In 1956, Miguel then decides to move everyone to El Paso, Texas where he becomes a big rig truck driver, buys a home and it looks like it might get better.  Learning to love someone you never loved is difficult enough so in 1965 Miguel decides to go out to California in search for a better job but turns into abandonment.  Marta treks with her five children to LA and finds him living with another woman.  The rest of the story is how she survived and her closing life lessons at the age of 86.  There is also a discovered diary from Ramirez that completes the puzzle after his disappearance.

This story is rich with Mexican culture and portrays the emotional struggle triangulated by love and family honor.  It is a moving tale that might appear to end badly, actually leaves a legacy and life values we should all take note of.