The measure of a man’s life is not in the riches he accumulates, but in the friends he gathers along the way. Manuel Rodriguez scratched out a living alongside his parents in Dolores Hidalgo in Guanajuato, Mexico. The second eldest son of nine children, Manuel carried the burden of providing a better life for his family, so in 1988, at 16, he migrated to the United States seeking opportunities.
Physical labor consumed every hour, and Manuel never forgot how he searched for scraps to satisfy his hunger, and often slept in the barns alongside the animals he tended. Chasing seasonal work, he milked cows in Texas, picked oranges in Florida, and in McMinnville, he worked in the nurseries before settling in Wartrace in 1991. There, he found Chuck Hawkins; his brother, Chris; and a host of cousins. Later, he found Chuck’s stepson, Matthew Allen. They all adopted Manuel as family.
Due to the language barrier, he overcame many challenges, and Manuel gathered friends while learning English. One of Chuck’s cousins, Rob Edde, introduced him to his parents, Lynn and Pam Edde, who bonded with Manuel. They began inviting him to supper, and became known as his “American parents.”
As the community of Wartrace witnessed Manuel’s work ethic, integrity, and determination in everything he set his hand to do on the Hawkins’ farm, he was gradually seen as more than just a trusted farmhand, and new friendships came easily.
Manuel faced tremendous hardships with tremendous courage. 1996 brought the first of three major medical emergencies when a hay baler malfunctioned and rolled on his arms, and several hours passed as he fought to live. He was LifeFighted to Vanderbilt, where he spent 17 days. Manuel had severe muscle and nerve damage and lost mobility in his left hand. As soon as he was released from the hospital, he returned to work, refusing to let this accident define the man he was.
In 1999, Manuel started dating Dana. For Dana, Manuel was the one she promised herself she would marry way back at the age of 12. Finally, in 2005, Dana did just that. They filed for Manuel to become a permanent resident. But three and a half years later, in order to follow proper procedures, he had to return to Mexico for two years. A year prior, Manuel had suffered a heart attack and was LifeFlighted to St. Thomas West, where he had emergency surgery to open several blockages in his heart.
When he returned from Mexico in 2010 with his permanent residency status, Manuel resumed his job with Hawkins & Price LLC and, in total, spent 35 years proudly working his way to a highly skilled heavy machine operator and job supervisor.
Manuel and Dana purchased their home and 45 acres, fulfilling another lifelong dream. Although he never forgot his Mexican roots or his family south of the border, Manuel embraced American culture and language and frequently said, “If I’m going to live here, I have to act like an American.”
The highlights of Manuel’s life — the pride of his existence — were the birth of his son, Luke, in 2014 and on March 11, 2020, when he and his family traveled to Chattanooga for him to be sworn in as a naturalized citizen.
Manuel suffered his final accident on May 26, 2024, while working on his farm. His third LifeFlight was to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, and as the helicopter landed, 32 people who had long ago adopted him as family waited anxiously for updates. During his stay in the intensive care unit, Manuel continued to break all expectations as his 62 visitors, who came to say goodbye, were more than the hospital had ever seen. Because Manuel was an organ donor, his selfless gift has blessed four strangers.
On May 29, 2024, at 52, Manuel exchanged his prized American citizenship for a permanent residency in heaven, and he took his final flight. Over 750 friends and family members came to pay their last respects at his visitation and funeral. The outpouring of love from the community as they lined the streets of Wartrace to say their goodbyes was a testament to the life he had lived.
Manuel Rodriguez loved his neighbors, and he had loved them well. The community initially thought it needed to change him, but in the end, it was he who forever changed us. He was a man who pushed himself and who pushed others to do their best.
When everything looked impossible, Manuel would say, “There is always a way. You just have to find it.” GN
