Finally, as a woman, the self-confident and driven Anna Maria was irresistible. "She completely changed my life," says her husband. "When we met, I was single, making a good living, and very comfortable living in southern California. I thought I was a big shot; Anna didn’t. She told me that I was wasting my life because I didn’t have a mission. From that moment on, my life increased in speed from five miles an hour to 200 miles an hour," he says. "All of a sudden there were deadlines to meet, causes to champion, and issues to be fought."

A native of Chile, Robert was literally bowled over by his new girlfriend’s dynamic nature. ÒI was impressed not only because of the way she handled her personal battles, but also by the way she would take on other battles. She had an incredible work ethic and worked tirelessly to achieve her goals," her husband says. "To Anna, excuses were unacceptable. She had a definite idea of what was right and wrong. She knew exactly who she was and where she was going. She was and remains my role model and my hero."

This tough little Latina, who stood about five feet two and a half inches, almost beat the illness that had dogged her for the last seven years. After receiving a bone marrow transplant at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, she and her husband settled there to face the 100-day recovery that marks a potential success. "She made it to 77 days," her husband says.

But Anna Maria lives on in many ways. Through her magazine, her outreach programs, and the scholarships named in her honor. For the people who knew and loved her, her spirit remains indomitable and her flame is eternal.