Ana Rivera, a location services supervisor in RSM’s El Salvador office, shares her journey of caring for both of her parents through profound health challenges while building a meaningful career. Her story reflects resilience, compassion and the importance of support at home and at work.
In her own words:
My name is Ana Rivera, and I am the location services supervisor at the El Salvador office. I’ve always been close to my parents and my brother, and even though we’re all quite different, our bond has been a constant source of strength.
In 2014, when I was 17 and just starting university, my mother was diagnosed with cancer in her tongue. That year, she lost half of it, and although the cancer went into remission, she struggled to speak. I learned to listen beyond words. I became her voice, her interpreter, her advocate. It was a silent language we built together, one of patience, love, and deep understanding.
In 2017, my father suffered a stroke that left him in a coma, and doctors gave him only 12 hours to live. By God’s grace, he survived, but the stroke destroyed the neural pathways that connected his thoughts to his mouth. He lost the ability to speak, write, move freely and express himself. Alongside my mother and brother, we helped him learn how to eat, bathe and walk again. We also helped him learn how to communicate in new ways. We invested time, love and resources into therapy, hoping he would speak again, but that part of him never returned. Still, we found new ways to live, communicate and love as a family.
Throughout those years, I was also caring for my mother, driving her to chemotherapy, managing her medications, and holding her through the pain. When she needed urgent medical exams only available abroad, I did everything I could to make it happen. Because when you love someone, you find a way.
My mother’s cancer returned several times, and in 2024, she passed away. Her passing was the hardest moment of my life. I stood by her side until the very end. And when the time came to share the news with my father and brother, I did so with the same quiet strength that had carried us through nearly a decade of caregiving. That moment taught me that sometimes, we must accept that our loved ones’ well-being is no longer here on Earth and that it can be selfish to ask them to stay when they are in deep pain.
Through all these years, I’ve tried to give my best as a daughter, sister, friend and professional. I’ve been blessed with people who have supported me, especially my friend Jazmín Masferrer, who became like a sister to me. We met during a difficult time in both our lives, and her presence has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve received. Her heart is pure gold. She’s been my safe place, my strength and my constant reminder that kindness can heal.
After my mother’s passing, Jazmín referred me to RSM, and joining this company has been a blessing. The culture here allows us to be present for our loved ones and to be ourselves. Thanks to that, I’ve been able to care for my father during some of his hardest moments. I’ve felt supported by my leaders and colleagues, in El Salvador and the U.S., and that has made a big difference.
I try to plan my days carefully, balancing work and caregiving, and I’ve learned to listen to my body and rest when I need to. Being a working caregiver at RSM has been transformative. Balancing work and caregiving is not easy, but I’ve found strength in the empathy of my colleagues, the understanding of my leaders and the resources the firm provides. It has taught me to be more intentional, more compassionate and more resilient—not just at home, but also in the workplace. I carry those lessons with me every day, and I’m proud to be part of a firm that truly values the whole person behind the employee.
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