108 is the new 88

Jun 10, 2020 | Blog and other Dialogue, Moments that Define

Estela Fernandez at 30 years old in Spain. Fernandez turned 108 years old in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Resilient…. is how my friend, Michelle Croasdale would describe her Abuela, her Cuban American grandmother, Estela Orue Fernandez. Estela turned 108 years old on April 22, 2020, while quarantined in her nursing home in Huntington Beach, California. Not only did Estela live through the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, but she is possibly the oldest person to have recovered from the coronavirus in the state of California. She accomplished this while living her life medication-free.

So what’s the secret to her longevity? Lack of stress? Her genetic makeup? Healthy living? Whatever the reason, Michelle is incredibly thankful to still have her Abuela with her today.

Estela Orue was born in 1912 in Havana, Cuba. At 20 years old, she married Alvaro Fernandez, a Spaniard, and moved to Spain shortly after their wedding. The Spanish admired Estela’s beauty – the striking woman with golden skin whom they called  “La Bella Cubana.” With the advent of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Estela and Alvaro sought refuge in a bomb shelter for 18 months and this was where their first son, Alvaro Jr., was born. Despite having lived in Spain for 15 years, Estela yearned to return to Cuba as she never fully integrated into the Spanish culture. After the birth of their next two children, José and Estela Maria (“Maria” or “Michelle’s mother”), she convinced Alvaro to return to Cuba.

At first, life in Cuba was a dream come true. Alvaro was a successful retail shoe store owner which allowed them to live an upper middle class existence. Alvaro spoiled Estela with the finer things in life and she was extremely happy as a full-time homemaker. In her free time, she enjoyed, gardening, going to the beach, dancing, reading historical fiction novels, and most importantly, spending time with the family.

However, 1953 brought the Cuban Revolution and Cuba shifted to a socialist economy under Fidel Castro’s rule. As a result, the family’s businesses, money, and belongings were ripped away from them. Their son, José, joined the CIA’s secret guerrilla operation established to overthrow Castro’s regime. When the Bay of Pigs invasion failed, José was captured by Castro’s forces, imprisoned, and tortured in a concentration camp.  Estela was devastated and promised God that she would not cut her hair until José was freed.

In 1966, Maria and Alvaro Jr. sought asylum from the US and they arrived as political refugees. Their parents remained in Cuba to fight for José’s release from the Cuban concentration camp. Because José was born in Spain, the Spanish government was able to obtain his release in 1967, two long years after his imprisonment. Spain’s intervention was crucial, because the last Cuban prisoner from the Bay of Pigs invasion was not freed by Castro until 1986. Although God had granted Estela’s prayers to bring José home, she still never cut her long, beautiful hair again.

Unlike the children that arrived in the US from Cuba during the Peter Pan movement who were often separated and placed in foster homes, Maria and Alvaro Jr. stayed together and journeyed to Los Angeles where they started a new life. After being freed, Jose, his wife, and children resided in Spain until 1968 when Estela, Alvaro, and Jose’s family were finally able to join them in Los Angeles.

As with her experience in Spain, Estela had a difficult time adapting to the American lifestyle. Sadly, Alvaro Sr. passed away from a heart attack six years after their move to the US. Estela firmly believed that she would follow soon after. She proved herself wrong and lived with Alvaro Jr’s family for the next 40 years. She became the family Matriarch, focusing on caring for all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Estela has inspired Michelle with her immense will to live and the strength and courage she displayed to ensure her family was safe and intact. Michelle believes that her Abuela’s faith in God has contributed to her ability to remain positive despite the obstacles that she has faced in her life.

Estela has had dementia for the last 10 years and now lives only with her vivid memories of life in Cuba. She has lived an extraordinary life and has gifted this world with beautiful children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In early May, Estela tested positive for COVID19. She was placed in quarantine and five days later displayed mild symptoms, including a fever, cough, and lethargy. The family was devastated to hear of her diagnosis and were concerned that they would not be able to say their goodbyes in person. Surprising everyone, Estela recovered after only fourteen days, confirming that it will take much more than the coronavirus to kill her spirit!  She is now back to her normal routine, chatting with her friends and wheeling herself down the nursing home halls. In these difficult times when the family is prevented from seeing their Abuela, they think of her often, and always when the aroma of Cuban espresso fills their homes.

Estela has passed on her resilience in her grand daughter Michelle who is a fighter and a breast cancer survivor – she has all the ingredients to one day be a Centenarian herself! I am blessed to have Michelle as a friend, just as she is blessed to have her amazing and resilient 108 year old Abuela, Estela.