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Finding a crucifix in fish skeleton helps local fisherman

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Linda Escalante holds a shell that her father, Guadalupe Cano, found while fishing in Port Lavaca Saturday. Escalante felt that the encrustation resembled Christ on the Cross.
  • BY LOURDES VAZQUEZ - LVazquez@vicad.com
  • Originally published January 25, 2010 at 9:18 p.m., updated January 25, 2010 at 10:55 p.m.

Guadalupe Cano looked out onto the water from the Port Lavaca pier after a day of fishing with his son.

The two began cleaning their fish, but to the 69-year-old father a shell in the water, rough on one side, intrigued him. As he flipped it over he revealed what he believes are bones that resemble a crucifix.

"I wasn't looking for shells," said Guadalupe, who has not fished at that particular pier in three to four years.

Linda Escalante, the Victoria man's daughter, believes finding the shell has lifted her father's spirit following an illness.

Her father, who has controlled diabetes, agreed.

"I've been sick, I was going blind," Guadalupe, 69, said.

But since Saturday's discovery, he said his vision has improved.

"It's a sign to my dad, 'Don't give up'" said Escalante, who attributes her father's ailments to age.

Guadalupe, a devout Catholic, said the crucifix reminds him of a lot of good things. He recalls walking outside a church once and asking for a sign.

"It wasn't raining, but I felt a drop," Guadalupe said.

He felt like this could be a sign as well.

His daughter, 49, who collects crosses, hoped to keep the skeleton.

"I told him I'll clean it and put it in a shadow box, but he said 'yeah and you'll bring it back'," Escalante said joking.

She believes fishing to be therapeutic for her father and a way for him to connect to God.

"You go fishing and you talk to yourself, you let go of your problems," she said.

Although Guadalupe and his son, John Cano, also 49, did not catch many fish, Escalante believes he caught something better.

"He got the biggest bite ever," Escalante said.



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Comments

  • coolgranny coolgranny Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    Next, we will be hearing about the doves in sand dollars. However, God does speak to individuals using symbols of His creation. If this symbol made her realize that there is hope, praise God.

    January 27, 2010 at 9:59 a.m.
  • silverback silverback Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    i'm glad this has given him hope and he feels better but i know a lady thats been walking the beaches for years finding the TR skeletons for this very thing.......this ain't nothing new people

    January 26, 2010 at 8:39 p.m.
  • SugarMagnolia SugarMagnolia Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I was just about to write the same thing, joshg. People, educate yourselves! This goes to the VicAd as well for making a big deal about this. Catfish have this bone as a matter of their usual anatomy. I can't believe these people do not know this. Just about any hardhead you clean will yield this bone. And in the caption, the VicAd calls it a "shell", not even consistent with the text of the story.

    Why is this news??????

    January 26, 2010 at 7:02 p.m.
  • joshg joshg Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    if they believe in the crucifix itself that is totally understandable, but i hope the dont think they found a one of a kind item. all hard head fish have that skeleton.

    January 26, 2010 at 6:54 p.m.