Listen on –
When I initially approached Carlos about interviewing him for the podcast, I wasn’t sure how much of his life he would be willing to share. I figured he’d be fine talking about his education and this thoughts on music, but I knew there were some dark parts of his past that I thought he might not be so willing to open up about. I remember trying to find a good way to ask “Can we talk about your cancer? Can we talk about you being tortured?”
His response was “We can talk about anything you want to. The only topic that is off limits is my college social life (Which I can totally identify with!)” That being said, I really wasn’t expecting him to be SO open about the hardships he has faced. For those that know him, you really would have no idea he is going through so much right now. It’s inspiring to see that he’s able to move forward with his life and carry out his duties as a husband, a father, and as music director of our orchestra with such a positive attitude.
In this episode, we talk about his diagnosis and treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma and how it affected his life and perspective, as well as an in depth look at the current situation in Venezuela. The current situation. I feel it bears repeating because it’s hard to stomach that people are living in such horrible circumstances right now as you are reading this.
If you hear this episode and feel so moved to want to help in some way, here are the 3 ways he outlines that people can help.
- Contact your representative.
- Donating money toward relief. I found options at the Catholic Relief Services and Cuatro por Venezuela Foundation. There are probably many more, but these are a start.
- Reaching out and talking to someone who is Venezuelan. This is just as important to do, and it does not cost anything. He says in the episode “One of the worst feelings for people who are in desperation is feeling like you don’t exist to the world”. From what I have learned, EVERY Venezuelan person you talk to has a story like Carlos’. Emotional support can mean the world to people who have family members that are still suffering in Venezuela.
Please share this episode. It takes a brief moment, but once you hear the episode, you will understand. Awareness of this problem is important. It’s a dark episode, but his perspective is really thoughtful and measured.
Until next time,
Ryan