Francisco Gonzalez is a hospitality and concierge services manager. He has been a team member of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas for nearly 20 years.
Like many people in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Gonzalez is the son of immigrants.
“My parents were born in Spain, but they moved to the U.S. before I was born. I am the youngest of five children, four boys, and one girl in the Gonzalez family. My siblings and I enjoyed growing up in South Texas,” said Gonzalez during an interview with Texas Health. “The Metroplex is very large, and even though I live in Dallas now, with numerous friends nearby, nothing compares to family.”
In his younger years, Gonzalez wanted to be a firefighter. That led to him finding his true passion, helping people.
“While in high school, I began working with the Special Olympics. It’s a passion of mine, supporting programs for special needs, and being that strong, compassionate voice for this group,” he said. “I eventually found a job in hospitality at a San Antonio hotel, and I truly loved it. Another passion of mine has always been to be in a position to share the joy and happiness that I live daily with others.”
Gonzalez has worked in the hospital for most of his career. “My employment with Texas Health Dallas fell into my lap. I applied for the patient advocate position and was given the opportunity almost 20 years ago. Thankfully, I’ve grown with the organization, and I have added to my responsibilities at Texas Health Dallas,” Gonzalez said.
Throughout the pandemic, everyone learned something new about themselves. Gonzalez found his strength. “During this pandemic, I’ve learned that I’m a strong individual, as we all work to understand and adhere to constant changes regarding COVID-19. Despite the uncertainty, I always give more than 100% of my time and attention to those in need.”
Gonzalez mentioned his little intricacies that might surprise people, starting with announcing he is fluent in Spanish. However, his hobbies are even more surprising, “I’m also a 1st-degree black belt. When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time in the outdoors, horseback riding, attending rodeos, swimming, and hanging out with my dog.”
During his interview, Gonzalez was asked, “How do you honor your heritage? What do you hope resonates with others during National Hispanic Heritage Month?”
He responded saying, “As a family, we would get together at the ranch, bar-b-que, and enjoy the conversations that my parents and grandparents would share. We’d listen to the traditional music sung by great artists, including Vicente Fernandez, Julio Iglesias, Rocio Durcal, and Jose Jose, just to name a few. I find that growing up in an intimate, small-town, adjacent to the border, we were able to celebrate more.”
Gonzalez continued, “My town had many functions throughout the city to celebrate this wonderful observance. But no matter your background, making a sincere effort to acknowledge other cultures allows us to better understand our differences, sometimes find similarities, and appreciate the diversity we see throughout this country.”