There are pains in life that have no name, no definition, no way to be described with human words, and for Angie Nathalie Garcia Osorio, a mother of five children, four living and one no longer physically present, her story shows how love, faith, and inner struggle can keep a heart going, even when it feels broken.
Angie Nathalie Garcia Osorio
Angie Nathalie Garcia Osorio
Angie (35) was born in Colombia and has been living in Aruba for 12 years already. She describes herself as a cheerful and extroverted person, but with a deep way of living. She believes in small circles of friendship, but deep and lasting ones, like her three friends from Colombia with whom she has shared more than 20 years of friendship and whom she considers people she wants to care for and keep in her life forever.
But beyond her joyful personality, Angie is a mother of five children, four living, with a story that marked her life forever. On December 4, 2014, her youngest daughter, Sofia Galvez, who was only three years old, fell into a pool and passed away while Angie was at work. That experience left behind a deep pain, filled with unanswered questions that, even today, remain very difficult for her to speak about, even after so many years.
After the tragedy, Angie’s world became a silent, closed place, filled with a pain she could not easily share. She went through an intense internal struggle, confronting life, God, and herself, feeling there was a deep emptiness where she could see no way out, trapped within her pain.
However, in the middle of that darkness, there was a decisive moment that changed her direction: her oldest daughter, Alexia, who at the time was seven years old, confronted her with a simple but powerful message: “Mommy, I’m still here, I need you.” That became the push she needed to slowly begin climbing out of the hole she was in. With the support of a psychologist, her family, and her children, she managed to move forward, although the pain never completely disappeared. Life continued presenting new opportunities when a special person entered her life, now her husband and greatest unconditional support, Julian Cruz — a serious, responsible, and loving person with whom she built a family together. They now have three more children: Julian (10), Jake (6), and James (4), while Alexia is now 19 years old.
After the tragedy, Angie entered a grieving process that was neither linear nor easy. “I stayed closed within that pain for a very long time,” she admits, describing a stage where she saw no way out. In her search for help, she went through different psychologists until she found the right guidance in Mily Lacle. “With her, I found understanding. She helped me come out of that hole,” she says with gratitude. That road was filled with inner struggle, faith, and determination, but also honesty: “There are dates that are still very difficult… December, her birthday… there are days when I cannot work or speak.” Even so, step by step, Angie kept moving forward, without pretending to “overcome” it, but with the commitment not to remain stuck.
In the middle of her healing process, Angie found a way to reconnect with herself. “I learned to think a little more about myself,” she says, recognizing that her personal well-being was essential to her recovery. That is how exercise became a fundamental part of her life. “It is my therapy… I cannot miss it, my body itself asks for it,” she explains, describing how physical movement helped her release emotional weight and find new energy. For Angie, the gym is not only a place to train—it is a space where she can breathe, release, and leave “very tired but very happy,” a sign that she is recovering her balance.
Beyond her role as a mother, Angie never abandoned her professional passion. Since 2014, she has continued building her business, Lotus, which she had already started in Colombia and which grew in Aruba, moving from a small space in her mother’s home to now having her own location. “This has always been something in my life… the beauty world,” she says, highlighting her mission to help other women feel good about themselves and raise their self-esteem. With more than 18 years of experience in aesthetics, she combines her personal story with her work, creating a space of care and empowerment for others. Today, as the mother of Alexia, Julian, Jake, and James, she continues walking forward with determination and love
Sofia Galvez, her youngest daughter who was only three years old when she passed away, will always remain part of Angie, her life story, and her heart. Today, Angie is the mother of Alexia Cruz (19), Julian Cruz (10), Jake Cruz (7), and James Cruz (4), and although one space in her life will never fully be filled, she has learned how to continue walking with that love inside her. “It is not something you forget,” Angie says, “but you do learn how to live with it.” It is a pain that changes form with time, but never disappears.
Final message to other mothers going through similar pain: “Take refuge in God, no matter the religion. Direct communication with God is very important.” For her, faith became support during the darkest moments of her life. But beyond that, she wants to remind mothers not to forget themselves. “We are mothers, but also women with a capital W,” she says. “Do not forget to give yourself love and self-care… happy mom, happy children.” And perhaps in those simple words lies the essence of her entire story: a woman who has known the deepest pain, yet still chooses love, life, and strength every day.
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