Thank you all for praying for my uncle Rafael — He made it through his heart surgery but died a few days ago in the hospital. I wouldn’t be alive if he hadn’t helped my family get to the US from Cuba. He fought socialism his whole life, I’ll keep doing it for him until I die too. 
A man being a hero to his family is more valuable than being a folk hero to others. I didn’t have a Hollywood family to connect me or a rich family to pay my way. I had opportunity in the US though. That opportunity was thanks to the risks Rafael, my mom and my grandparents took.
I’m not sad about Rafael’s death because he died with the thing he treasured so much. Freedom. If he had one message for us it would be to love + defend your family with your life and to love + defend your freedom with your life. America is great. People like him showed me that.
