From Law to Healing Hands: A Filipino Grandfather’s Legacy in Chicago

My lolo was a quiet man. In Filipino culture, lolo means grandfather and mine wasn’t one for big speeches. But he believed deeply in something powerful: the life-changing force of education.

Back in the Philippines, he was a history teacher. He used to say, “What you learn, no one can take away from you.” When he came to Chicago, he didn’t bring riches, he brought values. And he held tight to the hope that education would open doors for his grandchildren.

I grew up in Iloilo, where I was accepted to the University of the Philippines Visayas for law school. It was a proud moment for my family and for me. UPV is known for its academic excellence and commitment to public service. But even after being accepted, something in my heart wasn’t settled.

My family gently encouraged me to consider nursing instead. They believed it would make the transition to life in the United States easier, especially since my lolo and other relatives were already in Chicago. Nursing was seen not just as a profession, but as a pathway to opportunity, stability, and reunion.

So I chose a different road. I enrolled in West Visayas State University, also in Iloilo and one of the top nursing schools in the Philippines, and earned my degree in 1992. At the time, nursing wasn’t a calling. It was a decision. But over time, it became a passion.

At 23, I moved to Chicago. My first job was in a nursing home, where I worked for nearly a decade. The work was hard physically demanding and emotionally deep, but it changed me. I found joy in the elderly. I saw how much they needed to feel seen, heard, and still valued. They reminded me of my lolo. They made me laugh. And somewhere along the way, I realized this was more than just work. It was connection. It was purpose.

Years later, I transitioned into hospital nursing, and that’s when everything started to click. I saw how compassion and science could work together. I began to study more, learn more, not for recognition, but so I could serve better. I became the kind of nurse who could make a patient laugh on their hardest day, and advocate fiercely when no one else would.

I didn’t become a lawyer. I became something else something just as powerful. A healer. A caregiver. A quiet fighter in a world that needs more love.

And I think my lolo, the teacher who believed so deeply in education and heart, would be proud to know that I found my purpose not in law but in care, compassion, and service.

If you’ve ever walked a winding road to find your purpose—or you believe in the power of compassion, I’d love for you to follow my journey. I’ll be sharing more stories from the frontlines of care, culture, and community right here on Patch.

Geraldine Paclibar, RN, is a Chicago-based nurse with over 30 years of experience in patient care and community advocacy.