provided to The Santiva Chronicle
Yleana Way was not initially crazy about making Sanibel Island her home, but now she can’t imagine living elsewhere.
Yleana, who hails from the Yucatan region of Mexico, was visiting the island when she met Jerry Way, a fishing charter captain at ‘Tween Waters Marina on neighboring Captiva Island. Romance blossomed.
Jerry wanted her to stay in his paradise, but Yleana was not ready to give up her home country. So, she went home after her trip.
“I went home to Mexico,” she said. “He wrote me a letter in Spanish. Then, he showed up at my door. We started dating and then married.”
The couple returned to Sanibel, where they raised two children and Jerry operated his charter business for four decades. When cancer tragically took Jerry’s life in 2010, Yleana realized she did not want to leave the island but needed more affordable housing.
Community Housing and Resources was there. “CHR has always been supportive,” said Yleana. “All the residents are nice and friendly and look out for each other. In my situation, being a widow, it’s like heaven living here.”
Yleana makes a living by housecleaning and home monitoring with her brother, Ricardo. She is a champion of CHR’s mission, too. “Everybody has their own story,” she said. “Not everyone can afford to live here, and here comes CHR. They work with you.”
She is excited about the Riverview project, which will bring 15 affordable housing units to the island. Yleana is urging people to support the capital campaign.
“Sanibel really needs this,” Yleana said. “It’s a great opportunity for families and people working here.”
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