The Dead and the Gone

Alex is a 17-year-old stateside Puerto Rican high school student; he attends a private, all-boys Catholic school on scholarship and lives in an apartment building with his parents and sisters (he also has an older brother who is in the marines and no longer lives at home). Alex is a very hard-working student and cares deeply about his future. He wants to attend college, and Georgetown is his first choice. He is very active as the junior class vice president, a member of the debate team, and assistant editor to the school newspaper. However, Alex knows that he is not one of the wealthy students who will have life handed to them; he’s grateful for what he has and receives, though he sometimes resents his classmates’ easy lives. Alex’s goal is to be the first president of Puerto Rican descent.

Alex’s responsibility and intelligence become critical once the asteroid hits the moon. He takes his role as provider for his sisters very seriously, often to the point that he blames himself for “mistakes” when everyone else can see he is doing the best he can under circumstances beyond his control. Alex is especially mature in his ability to recognize but set aside negative emotions—such as anger and resentment— that could prevent him from taking care of his sisters effectively.