On January 1, 1959, Fidel Castro took control over the lush island of Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. He imposed a communist regime that is still in power today. Since then, millions have fled the country in hopes of escaping the now-ailing leader and his oppressive government.
Elisao Puig was among them, able to find safety in the United States. Now 58, his father put him on a plane with his sister when he was just 12. He landed in Miami. And once there, Puig was able to prosper, eventually becoming a family physician and raising his own family.
He had a son, Rick, whose family’s history weighs heavily on him and who doesn’t take his freedoms here lightly. With age, this 21-year-old second-generation American has become heavily involved in the political scene in Missouri. This is his story.
