“Our Car Had Landed In The Water:” A Mother And Son Remember a Frightening Accident
StoryCorps conversations aren’t scripted, and even the participants can be surprised by what comes up when they get behind the mic.
That’s what happened when Karina Borgia-Lacroix brought her 10-year-old son, Levi, to the StoryCorps Mobile Booth in Fort Myers, Florida, and he asked about her favorite memory.
Karina Borgia-Lacroix and Levi Lacroix at JetBlue Park at Fenway South during spring training in Fort Myers, FL, in March of 2016. Courtesy of Karina Borgia-Lacroix.
Top Photo: Karina Borgia-Lacroix and Levi Lacroix at their StoryCorps interview in Fort Myers, FL on March 2, 2024. By Sara Barkouli for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired April 12, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
“The Wolf Was His Best Friend:” Remembering Henry Kendall
Growing up in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO, during the 1950s, Judd Esty-Kendall remembers a childhood surrounded by animals. There were farm animals, such as pigs, chickens and guinea hens, as well as a variety of wild ones: falcons, raccoons, and even a flying squirrel named Peanuts that he kept in his room.
Henry Kendall with one of his falcons. Courtesy of Anita Kendall.
They belonged to his father, Henry, a salesman and World War 2 veteran who took in wild animals in his spare time.
But there was one animal that stood out the most.
At StoryCorps, Judd told his son, also named Jud, about the special bond Henry developed with a full-blooded wolf named Peter.
Henry Kendall with Peter the wolf in St. Louis, MO, circa 1962. Courtesy of Jud Esty-Kendall.
Jud Esty-Kendall with his father, Judd Esty-Kendall, and daughter, Makai, in Durham, NC, on September 29, 2018. Courtesy of Jud Esty-Kendall.
Top Photo: Henry Kendall and his son, Judd Esty-Kendall, with Peter the wolf in their backyard in St. Louis, MO, circa 1962. Courtesy of Jud Esty-Kendall.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired April 5, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Death Row Spiritual Advisors Find “Profound, Lived Love in Unlikely Places”
Reverend Lauren Bennett leads the Metropolitan Community Church in St. Louis, which primarily serves the LGBTQIA+ community.
Ministering to people in their final hours is an expected part of her role as pastor, but in 2023 she became only the second person in Missouri to do so in an execution room.
Lauren Bennett and Gerry Kleba at the Metropolitan Community Church of Greater Saint Louis in St. Louis, MO on January 28, 2024. Photo by Shelle Veres.
When Father Gerry Kleba received the same assignment, he turned to Bennett for advice.
Despite their differences, the two spiritual advisors formed a close bond.
They came to StoryCorps’ Mobile Booth in St. Louis to talk about their shared experience of finding love in unlikely places.
Top Photo: Gerry Kleba and Lauren Bennett at their StoryCorps interview in St. Louis, MO on October 2, 2023. By Franchesca Peña for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired on March 29, 2024 on NPR’s Morning Edition.
They Know Suicide Too Well. But One Moment Brought Them Solace
Friends Qaiyaan Harcharek and Don Rearden grew up in small Alaskan towns hundreds of miles apart. But they both have experienced a great deal of tragedy: Alaska has some of the highest suicide rates in the nation, especially in its indigenous and rural communities.
They met as adults when Don visited Qaiyaan’s hometown Utqiagvik, the northernmost town in the U.S. They bonded over their love of Alaskan culture and wilderness — And their grief. At StoryCorps, they remembered a moment in their friendship that brought them even closer.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired March 15, 2024 on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Top Photo: Don Rearden and Qaiyaan Harcharek pose with fossilized mammoth ivory in Utqiagvik, AK on July 10, 2018. By Joe Yelverton.
Middle Photo: Qaiyaan Harcharek in Utqiagvik, AK on July 10, 2018. By Joe Yelverton.
Bottom Photo: Don Rearden and Qaiyaan Harcharek in Utqiagvik, AK on July 10, 2018. By Joe Yelverton.
Remembering Rafael Cancel Miranda: “A True Puerto Rican, From Head To Toe”
On March 1st, 1954, Rafael Cancel Miranda, alongside three other Puerto Rican Nationalists, opened fire in the U.S. House of Representatives, calling for the island’s independence, and injuring five congressmen before being arrested.
Puerto Rican Nationalists moments after opening fire in the House of Representatives on March 1, 1954. From left to right: Lolita Lebrón, Rafael Cancel Miranda and Andrés Figueroa Cordero. Photo courtesy of the Cancel Vázquez family.
The other three Nationalists were Lolita Lebrón, Irvin Flores Rodríguez and Andrés Figueroa Cordero. They stormed the Capitol in the hopes of bringing attention to Puerto Rico’s political status, which they believed was tantamount to an occupied colony.
Puerto Rican Nationalists (seated) with their attorneys (standing). From left to right: Rafael Cancel Miranda, Irving Flores, Lolita Lebrón, and Andrés Figueroa Cordero, soon after the March 1, 1954 attack. Photo courtesy of the Cancel Vázquez family.
No one was killed, but the three men were sentenced to more than 75 years each, while Lebrón was sentenced to 50 years. Each served 25 years before President Jimmy Carter, alleging “humane considerations” commuted their sentences in 1979.
Rafael Cancel Miranda died in 2020, and was the last surviving member of the group.
At StoryCorps, Cancel Miranda’s wife, María de los Ángeles Vázquez and their son, Rafael Cancel Vázquez reflected on his legacy.
Rafael Cancel Miranda on a 7-hour furlough from prison to attend his father’s funeral in Puerto Rico, in August 1977. Photo courtesy of the Cancel Vázquez family.
Top Photo: María de los Ángeles Vázquez and Rafael Cancel Vázquez at their StoryCorps interview in San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 3, 2024. By Von Diaz for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired March 1, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
From Gaza To Mars: When Flying In Space Is Easier Than Going Home
Loay Elbasyouni grew up in Gaza City. He was always tinkering with electronics, and found he had a knack for fixing machines.
Loay Elbasyouni, (center) with two friends, in the city of Beit Hanoun, at age of 13. Photo courtesy of Loay Elbasyouni.
As a young man he left his family to attend college in the United States. Despite his longing to return, Loay followed his path, eventually working as an engineer on a NASA mission to Mars.
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, taken at “Airfield D” by the Perseverance rover on June 15, 2021, on the 114th Martian day of the mission. Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Loay interviewed his brother Heissam, who lives in Germany, using StoryCorps Connect to talk about the joy of making history in space, and the desire to return to his homeland.
Top Photo: Loay Elbasyouni with NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter in 2021. Photo courtesy of Loay Elbasyouni.
This story is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“We Knew We Were the Best.” Reflections from the First Black Marines of Montford Point
A group of Montford Point volunteers in their dress uniforms circa May, 1943. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
In 1942, the U.S. allowed Black men to enlist in the Marine Corps for the first time. It was during World War II, and resulted in more than 19,000 Black recruits being sent to Montford Point, North Carolina for basic training.
These men fought for their country in the midst of the racism and prejudice they faced at home. They were essential to the war effort but did not recieve the same respect in uniform as their white counterparts.
Many of those men are no longer with us, but their voices can be heard in the StoryCorps archive. One of those voices is that of Corporal Sidney Allen Francis, a retired New York City police detective. Sidney came to StoryCorps with his daughter, Candice, to talk about how his time at Montford Point shaped him.
William Pickens, Estel Roberts and Benjamin Jenkins at their StoryCorps interviews in Chicago, Illinois, New York, New York, and Dayton, Ohio in 2012, 2014, and 2010. By Leslee Dean, Mayra Sierra, and Virginia Lora for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired February 24, 2024, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.
A Father And Imam Records a Love Letter to His Family
Sohaib Sultan was an Imam and Chaplain at Princeton University when he and his wife, Arshe Ahmed, learned that they were about to become parents. After more than a decade struggling to conceive, the couple decided to adopt.
Arshe Ahmed, Radiyya and Sohaib Sultan, celebrating their first Eid together on Sept 1, 2017, in Hamilton, NJ. Photo Courtesy of Arshe Ahmed.
Their dreams of building a family came true when they learned their daughter, Radiyya, would be arriving from Pakistan. But when Radiyya was 3 years old, Sohaib was diagnosed with cancer. He and Arshe came to StoryCorps to reflect on that time.
Arshe Ahmed and Radiyya at Sohaib’s graveside on the anniversary of his death, April 16, 2023 at Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton NJ. Photo courtesy of Arshe Ahmed.
Top Photo: Arshe Ahmed, Radiyya, and Sohaib Sultan at Spring Lake Beach, New Jersey on August 30, 2020. Photo Courtesy of Arshe Ahmed.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
This interview is part of the Anwar Collection of Muslim Voices and Tapestry of Voices Collection through StoryCorps’ American Pathways initiative. This initiative is made possible by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and an Anonymous Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Stuart Family Foundation. It will be archived at the Library of Congress.
Originally aired February, 14, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Father and Doctor Reflect on a Life Cut Short by Cancer
Robert Robinson and Dr. John Fortunato met under incredibly difficult circumstances.
When Robert’s daughter, Angel, started rapidly losing weight, doctors incorrectly believed an eating disorder was to blame.
But on one visit to the hospital, Dr. Fortunato discovered a rare stomach tumor.
Angel, Robert and Serenity Robinson in Hawaii on January 22, 2023. Courtesy of Robert Robinson.
Despite multiple rounds of treatment, Angel died at the age of 15 in August, 2023. One of their final wishes was that their story serve to help other patients be heard when seeking treatment.
Serenity, Robert and Angel Robinson in Chicago, Illinois in September 2019. By Kylie Kreations, courtesy of Robert Robinson.
Robert and Dr. Fortunato have forged a lasting bond and continue to support each other in their efforts to honor Angel’s legacy.
They came to StoryCorps to reflect on the impact the experience had on both of them.
Top Photo: Robert Robinson and Dr. John Fortunato at their StoryCorps interview in Chicago, Illinois on October 30, 2023. By Jeb Backe for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired February 2, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
“Try to be happy.” : A Father Shares his Wisdom
Tchin, an artist and metalsmith, has built a distinguished career. He’s an established Indigenous artist, even creating pieces for brands like Cartier.
Tchin and Xiao Hui Star in Santa Fe, NM in 1985. Photo courtesy of Xiao Hui Star.
Growing up in foster homes across Virginia and Rhode Island, Tchin was often one of the few Indigenous people in his community. But he made a life as an artist while raising four daughters in New York City.
At StoryCorps Tchin sat down with his daughter Xiao Hui Star Chin to reflect on all he’s learned.
Xiao Hui with her parents Tchin and WanWoo Chin in Brooklyn, NY in 1988. Photo courtesy of Xiao Hui Star
Top Photo: Xiao Hui Star and Tchin at their StoryCorps interview in Philadelphia, PA on September 16, 2023. By Kayla Lattimore for StoryCorps.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired January 12, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.