TOMAS RIVERA

GENERAL INFORMATION
First Appearance: January 13, 1994
Last Appearance: December 31, 1997
Portrayer: Diego Serrano, January 13, 1994 - December 31, 1997.
Arrival: Came to avoid Social Services.
Departure: Left to attend a medical school closer to his daughter Luisa.
Introduction Scene: A classroom, to Maggie Cory, in response to her "Who are you?", "A fan. I heard you singing at the school dance."
Exit Scene: The Harbor Club, shouting a joyous, "Happy New Year!"
Birthday: August 10, 1976.
Birthplace: Ecuador.
Other Aliases: The "a" in "Tomas" is apparently written with an acute accent. [Originally named Jesse Rivera.]
Current Whereabouts: Port Jarvis.

FAMILY
Parents
Nothing is known of Tomas's father.

His mother, Juanita Rivera, died about 1992. They were close.

Children
Young Luisa Rivera (born in 1992) is Tomas's daughter from a childhood romance. Tomas had told everyone, including Luisa, that he was her brother. He and his mother agreed that this would be best considering that the courts might not consider Tomas a proper legal guardian as he was a minor. It was revealed in June 1994 that Tomas is indeed her father. Luisa is the only one who does not know, and Tomas is waiting for the proper time to be able to tell her.

Tomas is a devoted father and would do anything for Luisa. In 1994 he battled the courts for her custody. The state felt that Tomas was too young to be a proper parent and considered letting Luisa be raised by a capable older couple. In the end Tomas proved himself responsible and was awarded full custody. In 1996, Tomas enrolled in medical school. He sent Luisa to live with her grandmother, Connie Corelli, in Port Jarvis because he could no longer take care of her full-time. Eventually he transferred to a school in Port Jarvis to be closer to Luisa.

SPOUSES
Angela Corelli
(Married on August 18, 1994. Annulled in March 1995).
Tomas and Angela were childhood lovers. When Angela became pregnant, her parents sent her away. When the child was born, she was given to Tomas's family. Tomas saw Angela again in 1994 when she came to Bay City to win him back. She convinced him to marry her so that he would be eligible to win custody of their daughter. But Tomas discovered that Angela had married him just so that she could inherit her grandmother's money. Tomas quickly divorced Angela and returned to Maggie's waiting arms.

LOVERS
Maggie Cory

Emily Maddux
Emily is a nurse at BCUH. She was dating Nick, until she opened her eyes and saw Tomas in a new light. Tomas and Emily were living together even before they began dating. They broke up after repeated arguments.

DATES
Sofia Carlino

Zora Rodriguez
Zora was a fellow EMT at BCUH.

CURRENT AND FORMER OCCUPATIONS
For the summer of 1994, Tomas worked as a waiter at the Harbor Club.

In 1995 Tomas became an EMT for Bay City General Hospital. Because of Maggie's interference, he was forced to cheat on his exam, although he suffered no ill consequences.

NOTE
Tomas was originally conceived of as a Latino character. When the original audition failed to produce an acceptable Latino actor, the character was changed to white, and his name to Jesse. The new casting call now included whites. Serrano auditioned and won the part, which was returned to its Latino/Hispanic roots.