At 17, Gilberto Quintanilla decided he could no longer live in war-ridden El Salvador.
“The government had lists of kids who were eligible to fight,” Quintanilla said. “When I began to see my neighbor’s son or father’s friend’s son be taken away, I looked for ways to leave El Salvador because I didn’t want to be part of the war.”
Quintanilla moved to the United States in 1989. In 2005, he became the service manager at Helen’s Cycles in Westwood Village. Quintanilla said he enjoys fixing bicycles and meeting different kinds of people, but he misses his home.
In the 1980s, El Salvador was ridden with war between guerrilla communist groups and the government, he said. More than 75,000 people died as a result of the civil war, according to the Center for Justice and Accountability.
Before Quintanilla left, he watched his hometown of Sonsonate, El Salvador, transform from a calm village into a dangerous place where anyone associated with guerrilla groups was killed. In 1989, he left Sonsonate to join his father and siblings in Los Angeles.
“I told my family they needed to get me out as soon as possible,” he said. “There were many massacres close to my house.”
By the time Quintanilla turned 17, he had attended several of his friends’ funerals. He knew others who has been recruited by government and militia groups, and changed his daily habits to avoid being recruited himself.
“I had to always find alternative routes to get to school,” he said. “If they knew the route you would always take, they would wait for you there and pick you up to fight for the war.”
When Quintanilla arrived in the U.S., he attended Susan Miller Dorsey High School in South Los Angeles. On weekends, he would visit his father, who used to work at the original Helen’s Cycles located in Santa Monica.
“I would not only spend time with him, but also help him build the bikes that would come in,” he said. “Without intending to, I learned how to put bikes together.”
Quintanilla joined his father as an employee at Helen’s Cycles in Santa Monica in 1991 after receiving a work permit through the Temporary Protected Status program. The program offered immigrants whose native country was under conflict a chance to work within the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Two years later, Quintanilla was transferred to the Westwood location, where he has worked for more than 20 years.
“I really love that in Westwood, there are always people walking around and the ambiance is always welcoming and safe,” Quintanilla said.
After working there for 10 years repairing bicycles, Quintanilla was promoted to manager of the repair shop. Quintanilla said he finds his work enjoyable because he is surrounded by co-workers who he considers his second family. He added that he works to gain customers’ trust.
“Sometimes I get notes left on bikes that say they would only like for me to fix it,” he said. “The sensation of knowing what is wrong with a bike and being able to fix it is truly a fulfilling feeling.”
Corey Arballo, a sales associate at Helen’s Cycles, said some of their customers travel long distances so Quintanilla can fix their bicycles.
“People come from all over,” he said. “You know you have good work when people are traveling to get to you.”
Arballo added he sees Quintanilla as a guiding figure because he is patient and always willing to help anyone who has a problem.
“Gil is like a Yoda,” Arballo said. “He will teach you mechanics philosophies that also relate to life.”
Matt Canale, manager of Helen’s Cycles, said he met Quintanilla when he began working at the shop eight years ago. He added Quintanilla is a skilled mechanic who stays late in the evening to repair bicycles.
Canale said he considers Quintanilla a close friend, and the two often go out for coffee so he can solicit Quintanilla’s help and ask for advice.
Albert Duran, Quintanilla’s friend for more than 20 years and barber at Oakley’s Barber Shop next door, said he has seen Quintanilla’s friendliness extend beyond his work environment. He and Quintanilla often invite other employees to watch televised boxing matches at Duran’s home.
Quintanilla said he is satisfied with the life he has made for himself in Westwood, but still hopes to one day return to his hometown and live there in peace. In the meantime, he said he has found a place where he belongs.
“I feel like un pez en el agua, (or a fish in water),” Quintanilla said. “I’m blessed to be able to love what I do.”