Dying to Get Here: A Story of Coming to America

by Matt Lawrence, Rusty Fischer (Editor)

Paco Robaina sits on the crumbling steps to his four-room hovel in a small Havana barrio, smoking a cigar and watching his two young sons play. He scans the street full of other scruffy neighborhood children and reflects back to his childhood; a grand life in a plantation style home, enjoying the rich, social life of Havana in the early 50's. At first, his family stayed when Fidel took power, while hordes of other Cuban professionals fled to Miami aboard the aptly-named "Freedom Flights" of the mid-1960s. When his relatives finally left, Paco stayed behind . . . believing. Now that he has a family of his own, the "what ifs" haunt him ...He'd worked hard maintaining his family's lives under the failing Cuban economy, but in Cuba, hard work is often not enough. Now unemployed, he spends his days watching his children; while his wife wanders the streets in vain attempts to meet the family's daily needs.Desperate and despondent over his past decisions, Paco dreams of a better life for himself and for his family, in the land freedom.His only fear is that freedom will be as elusive as the smoke from his cigar.

236 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2004

Reviews

[Jonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I guess I never really understood how terrible Cuba was. I didn't understand the huge risks people are willing to endure to get out of there. This is a great country--I hope we don't sit back and allow it to be completely ruined by those in favor of big government. It only leads to one thing-loss of liberty.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this to get a better perspective of why Cubans choose to take the risks of floating to the United States, and what they go through in the process. Wow, I never expected it to be that bad over there. I am glad we have heroes like the fliers helping to save the escapees, which I previously had no knowledge of, and I'm glad this is a place where they can build a better life.

[Robin perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good and very sad. made me open my eyes. most people don't hear about the rescue riders and what they do. still many people don't know how the cuban people have suffered and still are suffering.