SHAFTER, Calif. (KERO) — Following the death of her daughter, Judith Gonzalez opened a balloon and gift shop named Italy's Balloon Bar, paying homage to her daughter, providing a space to grieve, and helping the community where she can.
- Italy Gonzalez battled cancer before passing away in January 2024, inspiring her parents' new venture.
- The balloon bar serves as a place of happiness and community support, reflecting Italy's joyful spirit.
- Judith and Noe plan annual donation drives to assist families facing childhood cancer, continuing Italy's legacy.
- The Gonzalez family aims to create a supportive environment while remembering their daughter's love for life.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Sometimes bad things happen and we're meant to make the best of it. I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter, and Italy's Ballon Bar in Shafter is a testament to that as Judith and Noe Gonzalez look to honor their late daughter Italy while giving back.
"She was such a happy little girl, and she loved, you know, Hello Kitty. She was so girly," said Judith Gonzalez.
Italy Gonzalez was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2022, and relapsed just a year later before passing in January of 2024.
During Italy's battle with cancer, the Gonzalez family received help from the non-profit Shafter Community Chest so both parents could spend time with their daughter, and it was during that time that Judith and Italy hatched a plan.
"I've been doing balloons from home for years. So then I kind of – we came up with this great idea. It's like, 'What if we do a store, like a gift shop, a balloon bar and a gift shop?' I go, balloons go good with gifts. So, we just had plans. You know, she would tell me, 'Oh, we can buy this or we can buy that,' And, you know, we always had plans," said Judith.
Though Italy would never see their plan come to fruition, her legacy lives on in the heart of downtown Shafter, in a place of happiness that allowed her parents to grieve and engrain themselves in a community that cares.
"It just feels nice, you know, because my daughter's at the chapter cemetery, and going there, it's like, I see all balloons, you know, balloons, you know, celebrating, you know, people's, you know, life and things like that. And they're from her store, and she's there. And it just feels nice," said Judith.
While they honor Italy with her namesake and plan, Judith also says each year they plan to do a donation drive to benefit families who are fighting the same fight their daughter Italy fought.
"Our first year was last September for childhood cancer awareness month," said Judith. "And it just felt so nice to go back to city of hope and give to all the other kids that are going through, what we went through, what my daughter went through."
Gonzalez says right now they hope to do more in the future, but this coming September they'll once again be asking for donations to help out.
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