SAN ANTONIO – From an early age, Josie Mendez-Negrete knew her son was special.
"He started reading when he was about 3 1/2 years old, and he taught himself," Mendez-Negrete said.
By the age of 14, Mendez-Negrete noticed something about her son, Robert Lopez, who is also known as Tito.
"He used to shower like an average about six times a day," she said.
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Lopez began having hallucinations, detecting smells that weren't present and hearing one or more talking voices.
"It took about three years to make sure he got diagnosed," Mendez-Negrete said. "Our mental health system in the United States is horrid. We have very few available services."
Mendez-Negrete, who teaches Mexican-American studies at UTSA, shared her son's story in a book she wrote.
The book, "A life on hold: Living with Schizophrenia," takes a look at the mental disorder and how it impacted Lopez and his loved ones.
Although the book was published in 2015, Mendez-Negrete believes not much has changed in our society when it comes to mental health.
"Mental illness is not a priority. It's only a priority when there are mass shootings because we try to identify a reason other than the individual to hold accountable," Mendez-Negrete said.
Tito is now 46 years old and lives in a home with special care.
Mendez-Negrete, who continues to study mental illness, said her son just wants people to know that he also has feelings.
"He wanted to let people know that mental illness should not equate with the stripping of one's humanity if somebody has a disease," Mendez-Negrete said.