LOS ANGELES -- Eloy González sat down, adjusted his glasses, cradled his guitar and set his little fingers to strumming the opening chords of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'."
Eyes closed, the 11-year-old boy's face broke into a fleeting smile as he played the tune.
Two years ago, Eloy had no idea how to hold the instrument. Now he is a budding talent who progresses very quickly in his guitar classes at Candelas Guitars in Boyle Heights, said his mother, Vanessa González. More than merely a hobby, his lessons serve as an escape from his daily stress and worry over his father's struggle with pancreatitis.
