This Monday, 22nd September, marks three years since the passing of Benito Hernández Cruz, a resident of La Guancha, popularly known as “Benito the hat maker.” He dedicated his later years to his greatest passion: knitting wool hats.
It was a doctor from the Northern Hospital who gave him this nickname. During one hospital stay, Benito gifted a hat to all the staff and nurses, and some even had the joy of receiving a scarf as well. He repeated this gesture at a clinic in Puerto de la Cruz.
His granddaughter Leila taught him how to knit one winter when it was too cold for him to go outside. At 86 years old, he continued knitting tirelessly until his death at the age of 92. His first creation was a crochet scarf, followed by hats that he gifted to family, friends, and the doctors who cared for him. The last hats he knitted were made with extra love, destined for cancer patients, with the hope that they would provide warmth and comfort during the winter months.
He had a project with his granddaughter, his unwavering ally, who suggested they create these garments and donate them to cancer patients and various organisations fighting against a disease that also affected him, as his wife had suffered from it.
He dedicated several hours each morning and afternoon to knitting, which he considered therapeutic. It also helped prevent stiffness in his right hand, where he had a slight case of arthrosis.
This activity offers numerous benefits for older adults; it keeps their brains youthful, releases endorphins, stimulates intellectual development, and enhances mental agility and visuomotor coordination.
Often, Benito would accompany Leila to the haberdashery to select colours. Green was his favourite, but he was not fond of reds, blacks, and darker blues, as they made it harder for him to see the stitches.
At times, it was his granddaughter who bought the balls of wool and brought them to his home. Upon seeing them, he would immediately start searching for colour combinations, as his daughter recalls.
Benito knitted without glasses in the garage of his home in La Guancha de Abajo, in a corner that his daughter Ana Elia Hernández set up for him, complete with all his materials: threads, needles, frames, and baskets. He positioned himself near the door to watch the passers-by. From there, he recognised his neighbours, greeting them without hesitation.
Gradually, his space became more organised, with bags of various sizes to store and sort the garments, frames, and a corkboard hung on the wall adorned with photos and a picture of St. James, the Patron Saint of Spain.
Once he finished a hat, he would leave it on a nearby table for his daughter to tidy up the ends. He knitted so many hats that nearly 50 remain at his home, despite a significant number having been donated to Ámate Tenerife and others to the Red Cross and Caritas in Barcelona for the shelter of homeless children and elderly individuals.
To commemorate an unforgettable father and grandfather who knitted with love, his daughter and granddaughter wish to pay tribute by offering his last creations at a symbolic price as the third anniversary of his passing approaches. Their only intention is to reach those in genuine need, ensuring that each hat continues to fulfil its mission: to provide warmth and hope.
As there is no physical sales point, those wishing to acquire one of Benito’s last hats can call Ana Elia (626 343 214) or Leila (663 953 265) to arrange delivery.
“Each hat is unique because it is made with patience and love, containing a piece of Benito’s heart in its threads. He was a humble man who taught us that small gestures can change lives,” asserts his granddaughter.
