When Hernan Pavez-Jorquera’s family were robbed several times in his homeland of Chile, he made the tough decision to move away in search of safety and a good education for his kids.
“I had my own bakery in Chile for 10 years,” Mr Pavez-Jorquera said.
Along with his wife Sandra he decided to do anything he could to provide a better future for their daughter Francis and son Hernan Jnr.
“It was our dream as parents to give to our children the best education and a better future,” he said.
“Unfortunately as a result of the increase in crime in Chile we were robbed several times and our decision was to sell our bakery and move.”
A short time later the family bakery was sold.
In 2006 he arrived in Australia. His family, however was still in Chile.
With a group of other Chileans he knew in Melbourne, Mr Pavez-Jorquera attended the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre where an expo was being held about opportunities to live and work in regional Victoria
"I filled several applications and I got many calls,“ he said.
“One of them was from Benalla, to be more precise, Bertalli’s Bakery.
“I travelled to Benalla for an interview with Andrew Bertalli that day.
“It was a Saturday, the train arrived to Benalla and after a while it was just myself at the train station.
“I was nervous, because for the very first time I travelled from Melbourne to Benalla.
“Also English was my second language and I did not know anyone.
“Finally I saw a white van. It was Andrew and from the driver’s seat he pointed his finger at me, I felt relieved.
“I started to work at the bakery every weekend until the week that I had to go back to Chile, my family was waiting there.
“My last day at the bakery, a Saturday, Andrew came to me.
“I have to say, it was one of my happiest days of my life.
“I remember, he asked me ‘do you know your family details?’
“My answer was yes. He said fill this form. It was my sponsorship application.
“When I got back to Melbourne, I ran to a phone and called my wife Sandra, she was very happy and when she told our children they were very happy too.”
Mr Pavez-Jorquera then headed back to Chile.
“We travelled from Santiago de Chile on September 8, 2007, and we arrived on the 10th.
“My birthday was the ninth and we celebrated somewhere in the sky.”
“Today (in 2023), I just have words of gratitude.
“My two children had the opportunity to go to study.
“Francis went to the Australian National University in Canberra and my son Hernan Jnr went to La Trobe University, both are now professionals.
“My beautiful wife Sandra works as a dressmaker specialising in wedding dresses in a very important boutique in Melbourne.
“Finally, myself, nearly 62 years old, I (am) going to open sometime this year a Chilean confectionery (shop) in Melbourne.”
Andrew Bertalli said he was pleased to be able to sponsor Mr Pavez-Jorquera all those years ago and wished him luck in his new business venture.
Mr Pavez-Jorquera said the opportunity had been life-changing for the whole family.
“Now our family has a new member, Emilia, she is 20 months old,” he said.
“And (now we have) Martin (in our family), he is our son-in-law.
“All this was possible just because god, Andrew Bertalli and his father Ken Bertalli, believed in a Chilean baker who travelled from the bottom of this world 16 years ago.
“My gratitude to many friends, our mates, that we made in Benalla and helped to my family through those years.
“God bless Benalla, and Bertalli’s Bakery greatly for ever.”