RENTON, Wash. — In a lifetime, many people can set goals and hope to accomplish a few of them.
For, Ted Rodríguez, his dreams never stayed dreams for long.
His titles are many, and they include husband and father, abuelo (grandfather), great grandfather (bisabuelo), former restaurant owner, volunteer, deacon, and author.
Rodríguez, now a long-time member of the Renton community, first came to the United States in the 1960s.
His father, who first left their hometown of Cuautla, Mexico, to work in the U.S., was a bracero which means "workers who use their arms and hands." It comes from the Spanish word for arm, "brazo." He worked on farms and in restaurants.
Rodríguez can clearly recall how difficult it was to leave his homeland and leave his family.
He put together his memories in a book called Todo es posible. It's also published in English, "Anything is Possible: The Life Testimony of Ted Rodríguez."
In his book, he talks about the deep sadness he felt when he left Cuautla:
“We don’t emigrate for fun… we suffer, we cry, we get tired and worn out when we move away from people and the culture we idolize so much. We endure the United States because, in most cases, we have no other choice,” Rodríguez wrote.
Because of Rodríguez's choice - he now looks to the future, at his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They are part of two new generations in the United States and are a testament to his sacrifices.
"I start working washing dishes and start from the bottom," said Rodríguez about a restaurant he worked at south of San Francisco.
At that time, Rodríguez's father was also working at the restaurant. Rodríguez earned $62 a week in this job. He spent this time working hard and learning to speak more English.
"When I started working as a busser I liked the idea to be sociable with people and that's when I had the desire to one day own my own restaurant," Rodríguez said.
This desire never went away. More than a decade later - Rodríguez made that dream a reality by taking over Torero's in downtown Renton. He said it was so popular - people would line up down the block to wait for a table.
"It was like dynamite, booming," Rodríguez said. "We tripled our sales only in about eight or nine months."
The original Torero's eventually moved to Rainier Avenue for about two decades before finally moving to The Landing in Renton about nine years ago. Along the way, he ran smaller restaurant operations under the Torero's name.
After more than 40 years of owning his dream restaurant, Rodríguez sold it about a year ago to focus on his health and make more time for his growing family.
"When I came here, I came with one idea to make that place successful," Rodríguez said.
The success of his restaurant allowed Rodríguez to sponsor various community events, make meals for families in need and host class trips to Torero's for kids to learn about Mexican culture and food.
He never set out to win awards but he is regularly receiving recognition for his community service.
Rodríguez was named Renton Citizen of the Year in 1997. In 2018, Rodriguez was named the Renton River Days Parade Grand Marshal.
This year, he was awarded the Key to the City of Renton - an honor bestowed upon just a few people over the past two decades since it started.
"Any community would be lucky to have him, but we are proud the City of Renton has been able to claim him for nearly five decades," said Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone during the key ceremony.
The city appreciates Rodríguez so much - it established Feb. 6 as "Ted Rodríguez Day."
His hard work and representation in the Hispanic and Latino communities has inspired others.
"I want to say thank you to Ted for opening the doors for all the Hispanic community, the Latinos and the Mexicans here in Renton," said Renton City Councilmember Ruth Pérez. "He is the living proof that when you come with your dreams and nothing else but the will to succeed, you are going to be a successful person."
Rodríguez said he accepts these honors on behalf of the community and that he serves the community gladly.
"It doesn't matter where you come from," Rodríguez said. "The main thing is to do what your heart dictates to you and try to thank God for all the help, the healthy and obviously a little hungry for success."
Part of the city key ceremony was recognizing all he has done for the community, including how he served as a founding member of the Renton Sister Cities Association and was instrumental in facilitating the Sister City relationship between Renton and his hometown of Cuautla, Mexico, and later, Nishiwaki, Japan. He also helped form Washington's sister-state relationship with Jalisco, Mexico alongside former Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro, while working behind the scenes on many projects to improve trade relations between the U.S. and Mexico.
Even in his retirement - Rodríguez's community benefits. Rodríguez is a deacon and said he loves to preside over mass in Spanish. He especially loves it when he presides over a wedding or quinceañera. When he has the chance, he always encourages youth to remember their roots and embrace their cultures.
Serving others is in Rodríguez's blood. He said he will never stop looking for ways to help others.
He also said he misses running a restaurant, which is why he said he will not count out the possibility of opening another one again.
"I still have a lot of work to do," Rodríguez said. "So, I don't worry really much about what's next."
More of KING 5's Hispanic Heritage Month coverage: