Magician volunteers time at children's hospital

EDINBURG — Justin Bustamante believes in the power of magic, and Friday he shared his love for the craft with children, parents and nurses at Edinburg Children’s Hospital.

The 23-year-old magician walked the halls of the second floor with a bag of tricks, a deck of cards and a smile. He stopped by several rooms to perform his magic in hopes of making children forget their pain. But it wasn’t just patients Bustamante was able to entertain. Parents and nurses who were escorting him from room to room watched in awe as his skilled hands made the impossible seem possible.

Alberto Eguia, 16, was hospitalized on Monday with pneumonia and a heart abnormality. He said he didn’t believe in magic before but changed his mind after seeing Bustamante. The magician asked him to hold one red sponge ball tightly in his hand, and by the time he was asked to open it again, Eguia was holding two balls instead of one. Bustamante repeated the trick and Eguia ended up with three balls.

His sister, Angie Eguia, said she enjoyed the performance, too. The 19-year-old has been by her brother’s side and said they often get bored just watching TV. They were happy for the break from the usual.

Some children were hesitant at first but quickly warmed up to Bustamante. On some occasions he spoke Spanish for those who didn’t understand English.

“I know what it’s like to be down and out,” Bustamante said when asked why he chose to volunteer his time. “And sometimes all someone really needs is a smile to remind them everything is going to be ok.”

The Weslaco native became interested in magic at age 16 after seeing The World’s Greatest Magic, a television special hosted by John Ritter showcasing magic acts. Bustamante said his father bought him his first magic kit after that and he has been hooked ever since.

He recently moved from San Antonio, where he performed professionally at trade shows, corporate events and birthdays. He also preformed regularly at a magician’s bar called Prestige.

“I got burned out,” Bustamante said about San Antonio. “I was doing three shows a week and then having a regular day at Prestige. It was a lot. I was forcing myself and needed a break. That and I wanted to go to school.”

Bustamante, who said he has a knack for magic and numbers, plans to attend South Texas College in August and then transfer to the University of Texas-Pan American for an accounting degree. His real dream, however, is to form a nonprofit organization called Magic Man Foundation. He would like to take one of his acts and help low-funded schools raise money. To make his dream come true, he works the night shift at Convergys and focuses on his magic during the day.

“It’s hard to gauge,” Bustamante replied when asked how much time he spent working on his craft. “If I have anything in my hand, I try to think of a trick.”

Bustamante, who hopes to make more visits to the hospital, said there are several types of magic.

“There’s the big, grand stage illusion where you turn people into tigers, pull rabbits out of hats and stuff like that,” He said. “Then there’s street magic with everyday objects like cards, coins, balls and cups.”

He said he prefers street magic because it allows him to connect on a more personal level with the audience.

“People only enjoy it as much as you do,” he said about his art. “I think doing (magic) for kids is more pure, and what better than kids at a hospital to start all over?”

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Naxiely Lopez covers PSJA and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4434.