Ada Villatoro is described by her son Ricky as “very much a go-getter” and someone who’s always eager and willing to serve the Long Branch neighborhood in Montgomery County, Maryland.
That’s where the Villatoro family operates El Golfo, a Latin restaurant that’s as much a dining spot as it is a landmark. It’s easy to spot, thanks to the large, colorful toucan painted along the corner of the building.
But Ada has been dealing with Stage 4 breast cancer since February 2023, and recently had a mastectomy.
“She’s been fighting for the past two-plus years now,” her son told WTOP. “She’s been running the restaurant from home.”
Until recently, the family has managed the mounting medical bills, but surgery, a change in insurance providers and the state of the current economy have put pressure on their ability to tackle the expenses of cancer treatment.
Ricky explained even well-known restaurants like El Golfo, which has been operated by the Villatoro family for 21 years, have seen a dip in customers. In the restaurant business, he said, the profit margins are slim.
“The way the economy’s been the past few years, the margins are real tight,” he said.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help the family with a goal of $30,000. By Monday afternoon, more than $25,000 was raised.
Ada’s history of stepping in to help when community members needed it is well-known.
After the Flower Branch Apartment explosion in August 2016, Villatoro provided meals for first responders.
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, the restaurant embarked on a GoFundMe campaign to help with the costs of providing meals to health care workers.
Seeing the community step up to help his mother when she needs a hand is something the family deeply appreciates, Ricky said.
“We’re grateful for all the overwhelming support, all the donations, all the kind words,” he said.
Vice President of the Long Branch Business League and Long Branch-area resident Annie Tulkin said the outpouring from the community is no surprise: “It’s also a really great reminder of how thoughtful people in our community are and how loved she is.”
Even through her illness, Tulkin said Ada was reaching out to others to offer help when needed.
On Friday, residents of apartments on East Wayne and Manchester Road were displaced by flooding.
“And she immediately stepped up to say, ‘How can we help? What can we do?’” Tulkin said.
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