04/28/2026
On the morning of April 28, 1966, Juan Ignacio, age 41, and Josefina MarĂa, age 29, boarded a Freedom Flight with their three young sons—JosĂ© Carlos, just 28 months old; VĂctor Manuel, 13 months; and newborn Jorge, only nine days old. Leaving everything behind, they began a journey that would redefine their family’s future.
They arrived in Miami and were taken to “La Casa de la Libertad,” also known as Freedom Tower, where they spent the night among other Cuban families seeking refuge and a new beginning. The following day, they boarded another flight—this time to Buffalo, New York—where they would finally be reunited with their eldest son, Alberto, now 16 years old.
Alberto’s journey had begun years earlier. On February 22, 1962, his father, Juan Ignacio Figueredo, accompanied him to José Martà International Airport in Havana, Cuba. There, Alberto said goodbye to his family and departed alone for the United States as part of Operation Peter Pan (Operación Pedro Pan). Through this program, more than 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors were sent to the United States under the care of the Catholic Welfare Bureau, seeking safety and opportunity during a time of uncertainty.
For four long years, Alberto lived apart from his parents and brothers, growing up in a new country while waiting for the day they would be together again.
That day finally came in Buffalo. Alberto met his three younger brothers for the very first time, and the family—once divided by circumstance and sacrifice—was whole again. Together, they began a new life in America, rooted in resilience, courage, and hope for the future.
Today, 60 years later, we reflect on that journey with profound gratitude. We remain deeply thankful for our parents’ extraordinary sacrifice—their courage to leave behind their homeland and their extended family in pursuit of a better life for their children. Their strength and love made everything that followed possible.