What was supposed to be a fun day at the beach, turns into Julieta and Agustín Madrigal's worst nightmare.
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"As a Parent, what was a scenario that still terrifies you to this day?"
Losing a small child on the beach.
This happened to Agustín and Julieta Madrigal years ago, and to this day, it still shakes them to their core.
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Little Mirabel Madrigal loves the beach. She loves the sand between her toes, the warm sun on her back, the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. The salty smell of the ocean air.
But what Mirabel loves most about the beach is going with her family.
Her papá was the first person to take her into the water. Her older sisters, Isabela and Luisa, and her prima, Dolores, taught her how to jump waves. (Mamá or papá had to hold her because she's 'too little'.)
Her primo Camilo is always entertaining. He tortured the poor seagulls one too many times; they finally got back at him. Just as he was about to take a bite of his sandwich, one swooped down and snatched it from him. He ran after the bird screaming and crying.
Mirabel felt kind of bad for laughing.
But there's one thing little Mirabel loves to do more than anything at the beach. Collecting seashells with her mamá. Mirabel loves when her mamá holds her hand, as they walk along the wet sand to find the shells. They have so many different shapes and colors! There's round ones, flat ones, spiky ones, pointy ones, flat ones! The ones that spiral are her favorites! If you press it to your ear, you can hear the ocean! Mirabel also loves looking for sand dollars! They're so pretty, but so hard to find!
So yes, Mirabel Madrigal loves the beach and collecting seashells with her mamá. But there was one problem: when Mirabel became interested in something, she became as quiet as a mouse. If someone turned their back on her, she could easily walk away without anyone knowing. She didn't mean to do it!
But that's exactly what happened one sunny summer day in July of 1996.