Once a migrant worker, today he's a brain surgeon

This is all great but if he is so smart he could get good grades in his own country, apply for a LEGAL student visa, go to an overrated school like Harvard and still cure cancer. It really woudn't matter what country he did that in would it? What if the next illegal genious becomes a nuclear physicist that hates the United States?

I think this is such an amazing and inspiring story that shows all of us that with hard work and dedication and motivation one can be successful in life! And shame on those who see this as another "illegal" legal issue. One should see this as a story of what the will of a person and hard work can do. Plus, lets REMEMBER this country was founded on immigrants from different parts of the world. And would you do the jobs like: picking fruit or work at BK? Honestly?? Would you?? think about it deeply....yeah aren't you glad that someone else is doing those jobs....

i can't beleive there can be so many prejudice / racist people with such hate in their hearts....in this "wonderful and peaceful" country?? ...Many are just jealous that it isn't an NORTH AMERICAN as one of the BEST SURGEONS in the WORLD...lol!!!!!! instead...it's a SOUTH AMERICAN...yes...SOUTH A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N....people, get a life and stop hating!...ya'll have a history of hating minority groups...geeeezz

HE DID NOT SQUEEZE THE SYSTEM FOR EVERY DIME

Where did it say he payed his own way for school? On the 20 bucks he made in a day? He, like the rest, milked our system for all its worth.

LC at the top has it right. There is a BIG difference between a "MIGRANT WORKER," and an "Illegal Immigrant."

The problem with "illegals" is that, they are already breaking the law the minute they set foot on American soil, costing taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

Dr. Q is amazing. He has my utmost respect. I wish I could say that about the "illegal immigrants," who walk the streets of our country, and use our hospitals for "free medical care."

If you've never lived in a "BORDER STATE," then you have NO IDEA of the price American is paying...

Why I've been looking at this illegal immigration thing all wrong! We've been keeping world class brain surgeons out of this country. How could I have been so short sighted? Quick someone get in touch with that illegal alien in jail in San Francisco who killed the Mr. Ballogna and his two sons and find out what gift to society we've been preventing him from sharing!
Build a taller fence and use the ones who sneak over it for target practice.

I'd like to provide some insight to those that hate immigrants into how their true issue is not the "breaking of the law" but racism and ignorance.

An international student can also apply to Harvard and receive a scholarships based on merit just like a US citizen could go to the Sorbone in France or Oxford in England and the citizens of those countries would not claim that a foreigner(US citizen) is "stealing" their spot and asking them to "foot" the bill.

The comment about an illegal "stealing" the spot of a US citizen in Med School and his education being payed for by taxpayers is an example of how people make a number of unfounded/ignorant assumptions truly stemming from their racism/prejudice and then try to mask it as righteousness and fairness to avoid feeling guilty about their mean-spirit.

Be honest about your racism and stop trying to pretend that you are "not against immigrants" as long as they are "legal"..whoever buys that is just naive.

Cure cancer?!? Already been done. Lifetime batteries, lifetime razors, lifetime light bulbs? Ditto. Costs too much money to market them (in negative costs). Same as cancer. Too many jobs lost if someone comes out and says - it's cured. Same with cars - too much inverse costs. Nice article, though....

AND THE BEAT GOES ON:

THIS MAN OVER CAME PROVERTY AND DOING GREAT WORK FOR THE HUMAN RACE.....THAT MEANS US!!!!!!!!AS I READ DOWN THE PAGE, SOON THE TOPIC IS LOST AND ITS BACK TO THE MEXICANS.

I AM 62 YRS OLD........BACK IN THE 60'S THE HATE POURED OUT FOR THE BLACKS......BEFORE THAT IT WAS THE AMERICAN INDIANS........"LETS KILL THEM OUT AND TAKE THE LAND".....SURRENDER?????READ THE HISTORY OF THE TRAIL OF TEARS THAT PASS BY MY PART OF THE WOODS.......DID ANYONE KNOW OR CARE SOME OF THEM STARVED TO DEATH????YES THEY KNEW IT AND JUST DIDN'T CARE. IT WAS HATE BY SOME AND OTHERS WHO DID CARE.......

THE WHITE MAN COULDN'T MAKE SLAVES OUT OF THE INDIANS BECAUSE THEY COULD ESCAPE, THEY KNEW THE LAND BETTER THAN THE WHITE MAN. SO THEY GOT THE SO CALLED IGNORANT WHO COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH OR KNEW THE LAND TO ESCAPE.

JUST LIKE IT IS TODAY.......THIS OLD GAL WON'T TAKE PART IN IT BECAUSE HATE IS HATE NO MATTER WHAT COLOR WE PAINT IT...AMERICAN INDIANS, BLACKS, NOW MEXICANS.....WOW IF THIS WORLD STANDS, KIDS OF TOMORROW WILL READ ABOUT THIS IN HISTORY BOOKS.....

AGAIN, WE ALL WILL STAND BEFORE GOD TO RECEIVE A REWARD OF OUR WORK ON EARTH. OUR WORKS ARE THE ONLY THING WE CAN TAKE WITH US.....IT MAKES UP THE CLOTHES WE WEAR IN HEAVEN.....SO ITS UP TO HAVE A ROBE OR A BATHING SUIT.....FOR ETERNITY..TALK IS CHEAP, BUT OUR WORDS ARE IN HEAVEN IF WE ARE A CHRISTIAN.....THE LOST HAVE YET COME TO CHRIST AND WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER AND SHOW THE LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT JESUS SHOWED FOR OTHERS? BLESSINGS,

AND THE BEAT GOES ON:

THIS MAN OVER CAME PROVERTY AND DOING GREAT WORK FOR THE HUMAN RACE.....THAT MEANS US!!!!!!!!AS I READ DOWN THE PAGE, SOON THE TOPIC IS LOST AND ITS BACK TO THE MEXICANS.

I AM 62 YRS OLD........BACK IN THE 60'S THE HATE POURED OUT FOR THE BLACKS......BEFORE THAT IT WAS THE AMERICAN INDIANS........"LETS KILL THEM OUT AND TAKE THE LAND".....SURRENDER?????READ THE HISTORY OF THE TRAIL OF TEARS THAT PASS BY MY PART OF THE WOODS.......DID ANYONE KNOW OR CARE SOME OF THEM STARVED TO DEATH????YES THEY KNEW IT AND JUST DIDN'T CARE. IT WAS HATE BY SOME AND OTHERS WHO DID CARE.......

THE WHITE MAN COULDN'T MAKE SLAVES OUT OF THE INDIANS BECAUSE THEY COULD ESCAPE, THEY KNEW THE LAND BETTER THAN THE WHITE MAN. SO THEY GOT THE SO CALLED IGNORANT WHO COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH OR KNEW THE LAND TO ESCAPE.

JUST LIKE IT IS TODAY.......THIS OLD GAL WON'T TAKE PART IN IT BECAUSE HATE IS HATE NO MATTER WHAT COLOR WE PAINT IT...AMERICAN INDIANS, BLACKS, NOW MEXICANS.....WOW IF THIS WORLD STANDS, KIDS OF TOMORROW WILL READ ABOUT THIS IN HISTORY BOOKS.....

AGAIN, WE ALL WILL STAND BEFORE GOD TO RECEIVE A REWARD OF OUR WORK ON EARTH. OUR WORKS ARE THE ONLY THING WE CAN TAKE WITH US.....IT MAKES UP THE CLOTHES WE WEAR IN HEAVEN.....SO ITS UP TO HAVE A ROBE OR A BATHING SUIT.....FOR ETERNITY..TALK IS CHEAP, BUT OUR WORDS ARE IN HEAVEN IF WE ARE A CHRISTIAN.....THE LOST HAVE YET COME TO CHRIST AND WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER AND SHOW THE LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT JESUS SHOWED FOR OTHERS? BLESSINGS,

I think that if not treated as though they are all illiterate, and not capable of learning, Mexican-Americans could achieve much in this Country of ours. I am speaking for all of Hispanics whether they arrived yesterday or have been in this country for centuries like my family (in what is now Texas). I further believe that a large majority of Americans believe that this Country has always been intact as it is today especially if you live up North or East in our U.S.A. No, we in Texas and the Southwest live in what was Mexico until North Americans came here and took (yes, TOOK) our ancestors' lands. The illegal immigrants from up North did not want to follow Mexican law (learn Spanish, do not own slaves, become Catholics) and so they just declared a war. Too bad that there was no border patrol back then.

We seem to be very accomodating to all other immigrants in this Country. But, don't forget all of the illegal immigrants of Irish, Russian, Indian, etc. descent. Do these individuals deserve to be here as well? I say no. They just seem to be more "accepted" because some supposedly blend in with our concept of what an American should "look" like and that some are just "naturally born" engineers. Many of these individuals are students in this Country who over-stay their student visas - but, who cares. We are too busy trying to justify why these illegals should stay here and why many illegal Hispanics should go home.

I wonder what would happen if illegal immigrants who pick our fruit and veggies so that we and our children can eat healty would leave our Country? I am willing to bet that people would not pay $3 for an apple or orange much less lettuce.

I am a retired school principal and am Mexican-American. Our entire family (5) is college-educated and we are extremely proud of this achievement. I would like for all Hispanics to be given the opportunity to prove that they too can "achieve the American Dream" we always talk about. Until we are willing to treat all "illegal immigrants" the same we just need to shut up - if we complain about one segment of illegal immigration its hypocritical not to complain about all other segments of illegal immigration as well.

I applaud this Doctor's achievement. He has certainly paid us back with all of his medical contributions. Thank you Doctor for doing what many in this Country have been given the opportunity to do and haven't done.

Sylvia

Nice for the doctor in question, I suppose. Bad for those of us who have stuck to the rules of our non-immigrant visas and have been waiting years and years for green cards, never wavering and never choosing to be an illegal immigrant. It costs thousands of dollars per year to maintain status! I feel bad whenever someone shouts that illegals should receive amnesty - what a way to reward breaking the law. While illegals get a helping hand, what happens to the thousands of legal non-immigrants stuck waiting for green cards? Nothing; we're invisible. Everyone should come into this and any other country legally and stick to the rules, including waiting in line for green cards like the rest of us.

Who cares how he got into this country? Unwanted immigration certainly didn't stop the Europeans from murdering 90% of the natives, it's an absurdity that people who live here now are opposed to further immigration....people like that are like spoiled bullies...you've got something through no effort on your own part and you want to deny the same benefits to others. The word for that is "Fascism".

But all that aside, this guy is halucinating if he thinks he'll ever be ALLOWED to cure cancer. Pharmaceutical companies make BILLIONS of dollars a year from TREATING cancer, if someone came along with a cure they'd pay a hitman hundreds of millions of dollars to kill whoever came up with it and destroy his research.

THE VERY LAST THING IN THE WORLD ANY MEDICAL COMPANY OR ANY HOSPITAL WANTS IS A CURE FOR CANCER, they just want treatments that they can make billions of dollars off of.

Hello all,
Let me introduce myself. I'm a 13 year veteran police officer in a large county outside of Baltimore City. I'll turn 40 years old on August 6 of this year. Thanks to Dr. Q I will see my 40th birthday. Here's the story. Back in April of 2006 I came down with headaches that were almost unbearable between the time period of April to August of 2006. My family doctor had put me on several anti-biotics because we both thought that my sinuses were going haywire. At the end of July, The headaches continued and they were making it very difficult for me to perform my duties. An MRI of my brain revealed that I had a golf ball sized manengioma in the top right side of my brain. The tumor was pushing my brain down to the top of my right ear causing it to swell. I was referred to Dr. Solomon at Anne Arundel Medical Center who in turn referred me to one of the greatest people I had ever met in my life, Dr. Q. At this point in time, I was scared to death. I believed at this point that I was not going to make it through and I was going to lose my job that I battled so hard to get. I was wondering if my 4 year old daughter was ever going to see her father again. The day of the appointment with Dr. Q. was one of the most comforting and reassuring days with him. He sat down with me along with his assistant Raven. They explained in detail what was going to happen in the surgery. I asked Dr. Q of the alternatives to surgery were and he said death. Dr. Q and Raven assured me that I would come out of this with flying colors. After 7, yes I said 7 MRI's, I was in the prep room for surgery at Hopkins Bayview in Baltimore. If you could imagine for a minute laying on a hospital bed with your wife or husband beside you not knowing if you going to wake up to see them again, you would be scared and so I was. Dr. Q. met with me just before they put me under. He comforted me and told me that I would do fine. Five hours later I woke up in the NICU Neuro intensive care unit at Hopkins. I was paralyzed completely on my left side due to the brain swelling. Now a whole different thought pattern developed. Was I ever going to to get the feeling and strength back on my left side? Was ever going to work again? How was I going to support my wife and daughter? A million things began to race through my mind, along came Dr. Q. He reassured me that everything would be fine. He told me that the brain would swell for a few days and would slowly, and I mean slowly shrink back down to size. I was paralyzed for about a month than I started physical therapy and pushed myself over the limit to get my strength and feeling back. Here I am back on the street in my patrol car answering calls and serving the public. Thanks to a wonderful, caring, knowledgeable man I have a life back. If there is anyone I could not thank enough and give my life for it would be for Dr. Q and all of the staff of Hopkins Bayview. They were absolutely wonderful. They treated me like I was their son. I still see Dr. Q on occasions for check ups. I put my arms around him and hug him and tel him thank you for everything you do and have done. He gave me life and hope back. Again, Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to you practice.

Sincerely,

S. Cooper

There are gaps in the story where there should be an explanation as to how he came from being a migrant worker living under a camper cap in Cali. to how he became a senior at the University of California. What about between that time? Where was high school? Did he get scholarships after high school that enabled him to attend the U or did he save enough money to go? What? How? It's great that he was able to accomplish so much, but I am interested in knowing all of the ways in which he was able to do this. You don't go from being a migrant worker to suddenly graduating from college at the age of 18 without something happening in between there to help you along somehow. Wish it had been a more informative story.

I know Dr. Q and he is still paying off his student loans to this day (with interest). He did not get a free education from this country. He saves American lives every day and I think that he has more than made up for his illegal entry into this country. Before you pass judgement- get the facts correct.

I happen to know Alfedo Quinones and his family quite well - and have for a long time. Yes, Alfredo was educated as a teacher in Mexico. However, the education for teachers in Mexico is not anywhere near the same education as it is in United States universities. Alfredo was in no way qualified to become a teacher in the US. Remember, when he crossed the border, he spoke no English at all. Like most illegal immigrants he was qualified only for the back breaking work of a laborer.

Alfredo worked 7 days a week in the fields of Fresno for over a year. He ate fruits and vegetables out of the fields and lived in a camper shell dumped on the dirt. He saved almost ALL of the money he earned until he had enough to attend Delta Community College in Stockton, CA. At the time tuition was about $50. a semester. While attending Delta College he worked full time for the rail road, advancing rapidly to the position of foreman. He graduated from Delta with his A.A. in three years. Not too bad for someone who had to learn English before he could register for most college classes. He was even involved with college academic clubs and student governing.

How many American students do you know who work FULL TIME and graduate with honors from a junior college in three years with an A.A. Degree? How many of those could not speak English when they began college?

Yes, Alfredo DID receive private ACADEMIC scholarships to U.C. Berkeley. He also continued to work to pay his own bills. Since he graduated from Berkeley with honors, had an excellent, years-long work record, and had also been instrumental in voluntarily helping many, many others with advanced mathematics studies, he was accepted at ALL the medical schools to which he applied ... and he applied to many.

He chose Harvard even though he knew he would have less financial aid at Harvard than at the other medical schools to which he was accepted. Alfredo more than any other person I've ever know has always insisted on being the BEST. Harvard was and IS the Best - so that's exactly where Alfredo wanted to learn his life-saving-craft. Shortly after Alfredo arrived at Harvard he became an American citizen the same way every other foreigner becomes a citizen. He had qualified as a LEGAL alien in the late 80's. He also married his longtime American sweetheart who had just graduated from the Univ. of the Pacific, in Stockton. She taught High School science & math in the Boston area to help support Alfredo's education. Alfredo graduated Cum Laude from Harvard Medical School after an extra year devoted to research.

He completed his neurosurgery residency at the Univ. of Calif., San Francisco during the late spring of 2005. He has been paying his student loans for over three years and still owes over $200,000. Taxpayers did NOT pay for Alfredo's education. There were no wealthy parents who paid, either. Alfredo and his wife Anna have struggled mightily to pay for everything themselves.

Please consider that this brilliant, hard working man has been out of school for only three years and is already considered one of the best brain surgeons in our entire country. Aren't you a little appreciative that he is here in OUR country performing his miraculous skills to help save OUR American lives? I would be willing to bet that if you or a loved one had a brain tumor you wouldn't hesitate to seek out the services of THIS once-illegal-alien. I know I most certainly would!

What Dr. Q has accomplished from the belly of poverty few Americans can imagine is truly phenomenal. America is fortunate that THIS man jumped the fence 20+ years ago because there is NO WAY he would have had the opportunity to become educated in Mexico and be the lifesaving physician he is today. He has chosen OUR country in which to save lives. All Americans who have been touched by THIS man are grateful. And one more thing - mark my words. I have no doubts that someday THIS man's tireless research will find the cure for brain cancer ... and more!

Condemn the illegal rapists and murderers -- but don't condemn THIS incredible man. You might need him to save your life someday.

""Condemn the illegal rapists and murderers -- but don't condemn THIS incredible""

Not condemn, CONVICT. He's an incredible criminal no matter how readers decide to spin the story.

Come up with all the convoluted justifications you like, but it doesn't change the facts. This man is a criminal under US federal law, and he's now brazen enough to celebrate his actions.

Perhaps he should reconsider his career choice and run for political office in his home - Mexico. He should be stripped of his medical license and deported.

The hypocrisy of all the people that are anti-illegal aliens is nauseating.

Your ok to go to restaurants where people work for below minimum wages, as long as you don't see them. You can buy produce at the grocery store picked and packed by undocumented workers looking for the best prices, oooh oranges are on sale! Yeah! Who picked these?

Your ok as long as illegal's are hiding and they don't let their kids go to school with yours, because they are using youuur tax dollars. They are taking away opportunities from your lazy kids that don't want to study and go to college. I have never heard a 18 year old say, "oh I couldn't go to college because UCLA is full of illegal aliens and I couldn't get in". Uh ,no, it was probably, your lazy kids grades sucked and got lousy SAT scores. Teach your kids to study and work hard bigots.

Please come and work for peanuts, but we don't want to see you, we don't want your kids to go to our schools, we don't want to see your beat up cars parked on our street. Cry babies looking for someone to blame their problems on.

We want to exploit you , but we don't want to see you.

Hypocrites.

One Day Dr. Q could save the life of someone you love. I bet you would sing a different tune then hypocrites.

Not likely. . .

I am an American citizen and I fully support enforcement of immigration law.

If that makes me a bigot, than I'm proud to be an American bigot!