Danavan Mireles: Creating a Better Life for Mountain Shadows Residents
At the age of 13, Danavan Mireles’ father, Ricardo, joined the Mexican military in order to helpsupport his 15 brothers and sisters. It was a difficult life for a young man, but Ricardo Mireles was never afraid of hard work. In 1970, Ricardo migrated to the United States. His dream was to create a better life with better opportunities for his
family and all of his children.
“My father taught me to work hard, be humble, and to always treat others with respect,” says Danavan, QMRP of Birch and Crepe Myrtle Houses. “Danavan started working at Mountain Shadows in 1998, when
he was 17 years old,” says Stacy Kendall, MSCH Director of Residential Services. “He worked asDirect Care Staff for about a year while he was still in high school. When he went away to college, he worked for us during summer breaks and on holidays. After he graduated from college in 2005, he wanted to come back to Mountain Shadows full-time. We hired him as a QMRP-in-Training and he done an outstanding job!
“Danavan is so dedicated to Mountain Shadows and those he serves. He worked hard to get where he is and has really proved himself. He never stops working, working, working—and he never complains. It is a pleasure working with him. Can I have more Danavan’s please?!”
“I’ve always been interested in working with the disabled,” says Danavan. “I have several cousins who are disabled: one is developmentally disabled and three are deaf. As a child growing up with them, I saw how they were treated and were often discriminated against. It was very upsetting to me.
“My cousins are very good people who never let their disabilities stop them from doing what they want to do.The oldest, Nancy, is now a successful runway model. Jesse is a Job Coach, Adrienne is attending college, and Monica is in high school. When I was young, I learned sign language in order to communicate with them. I learned so much from them! They affected me a great deal and, over the years, I came to realize that as humans, we are all the same. And as I grew older, I decided I wanted to help others like them. When I saw the opening for DCS at Mountain Shadows, I knew it was what I wanted to do!
“My favorite part of being a member of the Mountain Shadows Community is working with the residents. When I recently came back from a week’s vacation and saw the love from all of the residents, saw how much they missed me—well, that’s the best part!”
“Danavan is very involved in the resident’s lives,” adds Stacy. “If a resident is hospitalized, Danavan is there—it doesn’t matter if it’s 3:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m.! He supports the residents in every way possible. He works weekends, even when he’s not scheduled. He drives resident Henry to be with his mother every week—in his own car! He doesn’t hesitate to take the extra step.” Danavan was born in Fallbrook. His father, mother, two brothers and sister all live in the North County area. “Our family is very close,” says Danavan. “My mother, Marcelina, is one of my very best friends. I can talk to her about things I wouldn’t tell anyone else. She taught me to respect all women.”
In addition to his work at Mountain Shadows, Danavan enjoy sports, hiking, and bike riding on his quad. He also loves traveling and wants to go to Mexico and South America to explore his roots. “I want to learn about my culture—all cultures are beautiful.” Danavan has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. He plans to obtain a Master’s Degree in Special Education in the future. Says Danavan, “One of my college professors once told me, ‘You either stand for something, or you stand for nothing.’ I don’t want to stand for nothing. What do I want to stand for? Goodness. I want to stand for goodness.
“We have a very, very good team here at Mountain Shadows. We all work together to resolve issues for the benefit of the residents. I spend more time here than with my family. It’s a great place!” When he was just a young man of 13, Ricardo Mireles, made a choice to create a better future for his family by coming to America. Today, his son, Danavan, follows in his footsteps by helping to create a better life, filled with new opportunities, for Mountain Shadows residents.