Spotlight on … the Aguilera Family

For the Aguileras, their mother, Yolanda Aguilera, was the heart of their family. She had four children: Michelle, Julia, Jessica, and Eddie. They spent every holiday, birthday, and other family events together. Yolanda had a tradition of sharing stories about her adult children when they were younger, recounting their birth stories or how they got their names.

Sundays were designated as “AGUILERA SUNDAYS.” During football season, the Aguileras watched every San Francisco 49ers game together. In the summer, the family gathered by the pool with BBQs, music, and created the best family memories. Yolanda brought everyone together and always invited laughter and silliness into their home.

For years, she worked with her daughter, Michelle, at Walmart and hoped to make it to retirement. However, in October 2022, she began having difficulty lifting her right arm above her head. This was soon followed by noticeable shakiness in her voice. After months of doctors attributing it to a rotator cuff issue and planning for surgery, her primary care physician requested one final test. In March 2023, Yolanda was diagnosed with ALS at 66 years old at the ALS clinic in Sacramento.

This came as a complete shock to Yolanda and her family. Over the next few months, Yolanda went from pulling pallets and climbing ladders at work to needing assistance just to walk down the hall in her own home. Within a few weeks of her diagnosis, she also lost the ability to swallow. Her husband, Edward, was still working at the time, so their daughters Julia, Michelle, and Jessica shared the responsibility of caring for her. They researched ALS and connected with the ALS Network for care services and support, as well as to help raise awareness about the disease.

As Yolanda’s ALS progressed, Julia made the decision in May 2023 to put her studies for her teacher credentialing program on hold to focus on being her mother’s primary caregiver. She spent the entire month of June supporting and caring for Yolanda as her condition worsened. Julia had a morning routine to lift Yolanda’s spirits by saying five things she was grateful for each day. Julia was able to spend her birthday with Yolanda on July 7. A few days later, on July 12, 2023, Yolanda died from ALS.

From the time of Yolanda’s ALS diagnosis to after the end of her battle with the disease, the Aguilera family has continued to advocate for the ALS community. In June 2023, they attended Lou Gehrig Day with the San Francisco Giants and ALS organizations, including the ALS Network. Wanting to get the family involved with the ALS community, Michelle asked Yolanda if she could start a team to participate in the 2023 Central Valley Burnout, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS (formerly the Central Valley Walk to Defeat ALS) in Fresno. Yolanda agreed and approved the team’s name, “Yolie’s Yo-Yo’s.” As a Walmart employee, Michelle was also able to donate to the ALS Network on behalf of Walmart’s Days of Giving.

In May 2024, Julia coordinated an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with the after-school program where she works, in honor of Yolanda and ALS Awareness Month. The Aguilera family participated in the challenge, and participants donated money to their Walk team, Yolie’s Yo-Yos.

Later that May, Michelle placed her mother’s name on a flag at the I AM ALS Flag event in Washington, D.C. Michelle also served as a co-team lead in organizing Lou Gehrig Day with the Oakland Athletics on June 4 and volunteered at the ALES 4 ALS Festival in Alameda County.

In September 2024, the Aguilera family returned for their 2nd year at the Central Valley Burnout, Walk & Roll to Cure ALS to further raise ALS awareness and support.

The ALS Network expresses its deepest gratitude to the Aguilera family for their willingness to share their story and commitment to advocating for those affected by ALS.