gmhTODAY 20 gmhToday June July 2018 | Page 87

Jonathan Brusco Nick Ajluni After a six-year process, which included numerous doctors visits and countless challenges, Jonathan Brusco and his wife Julie Klem had reason to celebrate. Last year on May 17th, their daughter Isabella, was born. “There were days when we thought we’d never be able to have a child. To have Isabella in our lives is a blessing that I cannot put into words,” Brusco, a Technology Curriculum Director at Los Altos’ Pinewood School, said. The Morgan Hill couple has embraced parenthood and now that their “little miracle” has turned one, they realize how crucial every moment of her childhood is. “I’ll probably blink and she’ll be graduating from high school,” Brusco said. As joyous an event as Isabella’s birth was, two months later Brusco was dealt a crushing blow. His father suffered a major stroke. “You deal with the hand you’re dealt and [you] are there for your family in their times of need,” he said. Brusco does all he can to be there for his father just as his father was always there for him. “If there was a checklist of items a father should teach his son, he prob- ably covered them all,” Brusco said. Brusco’s parents were separated and visits with his father, who lived two hours away, were a high priority to him. Understanding the importance of being there for your child fuels Brusco’s determination to devote as much time as possible to his daugh- ter. “I think there is tremendous value in simply being physically and emo- tionally present as often as possible,” he said. “I want to be able to create a path for her that is supportive, nurtur- ing, and allows her to reach her full potential as a human being.” A surprising realization came to Brusco after Isabella was born, and his perspective on life changed. “The entire world takes on a new meaning,” Brusco said. “All that you do is viewed through a lens of parenthood. I knew being a father would be a transformative experience, but I didn’t realize that it would be so to this degree,” he said, adding, “The English language has the fewest words to describe ‘love’ and perhaps we need more because saying you love your child simply doesn’t describe it.” Nick Ajluni, 28, takes his job as a Senior Environmental Inspector, man- aging stormwater compliance for the City of San Jose, very seriously because he believes his work directly impacts his son. “I really enjoy fishing, I want to make sure our creeks are clean so my son can enjoy it too,” he said. He and his wife Jessica live in Morgan Hill and two years ago May, they became first-time parents to Colton. Ajluni was taken by sur- prise that fatherhood could be so much fun. “I thought the amount of work and the amount of fun… I didn’t realize how much of a balance there would be,” he said. “Everyone tells you what it’s like but until you actually experience it, it’s very different. Seeing how this little individual grows and seeing his thought process and how he devel- ops, it’s just amazing.” Sharing his love of the outdoors GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JUNE/JULY 2018 gmhtoday.com 87