Arrival
Edison was a gymnast all the way until he moved to the United States. In Colombia, he earned his way to the Colombian National Team where he competed for 8 years. He had the privilege of traveling around the globe for prestigious competitions including the South American Games, Pan American Championships, Bolivarian Countries Games, and finally the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim, California. His last competition is what changed his life forever.
As soon as he stepped into Anaheim, his "jaw dropped" and he "fell in love with the country."
Edison at age 18 with the 2000 National Team (top left)
Edison in Gloucester in July 2004
In September 2003, shortly after the World Championships, Edison went to visit his mom in Massachusetts; she had moved to Boston in 1997 and he had not seen her since. This combined with his newfound love for America convinced him to stay.
As a 20-year-old in a brand-new country, he began his first job as an assembly line worker in the Au Bon Pain bread factory. He worked there until he was able to secure a job working as a gymnastics coach at The Gym for Kids.
No immigrant's story comes without hardship, and the same goes for Edison. He says that his biggest struggles when it came to assimilating to the United States were in regard to the language, food, weather, and culture, especially in his first five years.
When asked about his expectations compared to his actual experience, Edison says it was way better than anticipated. He said that where he was from, "you already knew what it meant to be in the US". His knowledge of life in America extended only to the fact that he knew people here were "comfortable", meaning no economic hardships and a safe living environment. Even though he had these ideas of how Americans lived, whatever he had heard or seen did not even compare to his experience; everything was so different from MedellĂn that it made it hard to adjust, but it was definitely the "best decision [he] ever made."
Edison exploring more parts of the US in 2006
Milena and Edison in San Juan in March 2010
One person who made the adjustment to America easier for Edison was Doris Milena Gomez. Milena grew up in Santa Rosa de Osos, not too far from where Edison lived, which created an instant bond between the two. They met in 2008 when Edison was 26, Milena was 29, and her son, Jeffrey, was 6. The three of them began a life together and soon moved to a home in Revere where they have lived happily ever since. They now have a son together, Camilo, who was born in 2015.
Milena, Edison, Jeffrey, and Camilo in New York in August 2015
Edison, Milena, and Jeffrey at Jeffrey's soccer game in August 2009
Edison, Milena, and Camilo at Camilo's soccer game in August 2021