Returning to the Place that Made you: Identity and finding Lost Memories with Mario Cartaya

Send us Fan MailThis week’s episode is one everyone needs to hear—a story of miracles, identity, and the kind of closure most people never expect to find.In his book Journey Back into the Vault: In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints, Mario Cartaya shares a life that began in Havana and was forever changed when he fled Cuba at just eight years old. He went on to build an extraordinary life in the United States as a celebrated architect, shaping communities across South Florida and earning national recognition, including a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor. He even worked alongside leaders like John Kerry, helping bridge conversations between countries.But decades later, something still called him back.After 56 years, Mario returned to Cuba—and what happened next is almost impossible to believe. In a moment that feels nothing short of miraculous, Fidel Castro’s son personally led him to his family’s long-lost graves. There, Mario stood, prayed, and began reconnecting with the pieces of himself he thought were gone. Along the way, he unexpectedly met a 90-year-old relative simply by driving down the street, as if the past had been waiting for him all along.This isn’t just a story about going back to a place. It’s about meeting your younger self again. About rediscovering memories. About finding identity, belonging, and a sense of peace that no amount of success could replace.And this is only Part 1.Go to Mario Cartaya's website at Mario Cartaya – Journey Back Into The VaultSupport the show