Pearson’s Pharmacy helps recent graduate with life, school and her future

Esmeralda Downs life changed 15 years ago when she answered Bill and Ann Pearsons ad for a pharmacy technician.

In addition to hiring her, the Pearsons paid for her education at Western University of Health Sciences, where she earned a PharmD degree in 2012. They also paid for community college tuition, a class at CSUSB, health insurance, and a gas card so she could commute to college.

Esmeralda calls the Pearsons her guardian angels. Its very seldom you find people like this, Esmeralda said. Ive had a hard time in my life, and I could not have done it without them.

Bill and Ann met at the USC School of Pharmacy, and both graduated in 1967. Bill went to work for Redlands Community Hospital, and Ann worked at an independent pharmacy in San Bernardino that the couple later bought, then sold.

Bill said that his fathers story of being accepted into Stanford University during the Depression motivated him to help people get through college.

If you have somebody who has the ability, youve got to help them get there, Bill said.

Before becoming a pharmacy technician, Esmeralda had been a forklift driver and a bus driver. She needed to change careers after the Foothill Transit bus she was driving in downtown Los Angles was in an accident. The company paid for her to get her pharmacy technician certificate because she was unable to continue working as a driver.

Esmeralda, 43, of Yucaipa, is one of 20 brothers and sisters. Her parents worked in the U.S. in the 1950s to help support their large family.

Although my parents were uneducated, they taught me good work ethics and to always be grateful to those that help you along the way, Esmeralda said.

In high school, she lived with her brothers, and kept a busy schedule.

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Pearson’s Pharmacy helps recent graduate with life, school and her future