'My Daughter Is Essential To Pets': Mission Viejo Local Hero

MISSION VIEJO, CA —When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. Together with Ring, we’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from Dianne Jaramillo who nominated her daughter, Riley Jaramillo, as one of Patch's hometown heroes. Not only is her daughter her hero, she also has a tremendous way with animals, Dianne Jaramillo says.

Riley Jaramillo has been caring for the pets of South Orange County by going to to work at an area pet store.

"When the rest of us had to stay home, she was going to work to sell your pet food," her mother shared.

Riley has always been an animal lover, according to mom Dianne. Hired pre-coronavirus pandemic, it was stressful to send her daughter out the door when she would be safer at home.

"This is one of her first jobs, and even when I didn’t want her to go she would tell me that the pets still need to eat like we do," Dianne shared with Patch. "She's an essential worker and bravely worked as others stayed home."

Thank you for all that you do, Riley!

Do YOU have a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here. Read about other heroes from across California here.

All photos included in this post are owned by identified third parties who have given Patch the right to use explicitly for the Patch Local Heroes series.