A Family Legacy Continues at Corona Regional Medical Center
January 18, 2021
When Conrad Padilla talks about his family history here in Corona, he speaks with a great sense of pride. It all started with Padilla’s grandfather, Narciso Padilla. He came to the United States in 1923 to work on the railroad. When the Great Depression arrived, he went back to Mexico. He came back in the ‘50s with three of his brothers. His wife, Norberta, joined him in 1963 with their 16 children (seven girls, nine boys).
Corona was small then, with less than 20,000 people. Conrad’s father and his siblings settled in this area and worked in Corona’s citrus groves, then started working in a facility that manufactures mobile homes. “My father had a vision of starting his own business, so he created a mobile home service that would handle the transportation of the homes and setting it up for people to live in. He brought his brothers into the business to help,” Conrad says.
100 Family Members Born at Corona Regional
As the business grew, so did the extended Padilla families. Conrad’s Aunt Lupe, now 80, and one of his father’s older sisters, was the first family member to give birth at Corona Community Hospital, which is now Corona Regional Medical Center, in 1955. The rest, as they say, is history. Since then, more than 100 family members have been born at Corona Regional.
“There is something to be said about all the babies being born at Corona Regional, which itself is a legacy,” says Conrad. “That is the place that started a lot of what we have today, several generations later. Most of the kids were born there, and they all have grandkids now. That’s over 50 years of kids being born there. I was born there, as were my two siblings. It’s in our blood. I am one of 80 grandchildren, and about 40-50 of my generation was born at Corona Regional, and the grandchildren are having children.” Conrad says his generation and the previous ones were all delivered by the same doctor.
Corona Is Home
Padilla explains that Corona now has about 160,000 residents, and certain families are well-known because they have been there for so many years. He has planted lemon and orange trees on his property to remember his heritage. “It’s an honor to be born here and people don’t take it for granted. So many families stay here because they are grateful for the opportunities, the jobs, the healthcare and a great community in which to raise a family. Corona is legacy, Corona is home.”