January 04, 2008
Memories of Manolo Reyes
Yesterday, a face and a voice from my childhood passed away. Dr. Manolo Reyes, one of the first Spanish TV news broadcasters in Miami died at the age of 83. Since 1968, Manolo Reyes brought the news into my home in a language my parents and grandparents could understand. He was respected, admired, and my mother always said that if Manolo Reyes reported it, it had to be true.
With only one television in the house back then, my siblings and I were at the mercy of my parent’s viewing whims. Sometimes we would get lucky and mom and dad would leave us alone to watch whatever we wanted from the vast selection of the four channels available, but they never missed the newscast on channel 4 with Manolo Reyes (there were actually 5 channels, but channel 2 was, and is, public broadcasting and forgive our uncouthness, but Masterpiece Theatre was just not our bag).
Unfortunately, the news of his death brought back these and other long forgotten memories. Memories of my childhood; of my home in Little Havana; of the smell of my mom’s black beans sh-sh-shi-ing in the pressure cooker. Recollections of dinnertime—always together as a family at my father’s insistence. It is unfortunate that I do not remember these trying, yet happy times more often. And it is regrettable that it takes sad news to bring these memories out of hiding.
My childhood, along with the many kids like me, was unlike any our parents had experienced. We lived in a different country, we spoke a different language, and we learned to be proud Americans. But we also learned where our families came from and the price they paid to provide us, their uncouth children who preferred to watch Gilligan’s Island, the opportunity to grow up in freedom and liberty. We learned not only of our Cuban heritage, but to never be ashamed of it. But the best gift our parents gave us was the chance to grow up in freedom, and to teach us to love this wonderful country that took us in with the passion inherent in the Cuban heart that beats within all of us.
(Cross-posted on albertodelacruz.com)
Posted by Alberto de la Cruz at January 4, 2008 07:09 AM
Comments
I, too, was very saddened by the news of his passing. It feels like with the death of these older men and women from our community, a little bit of my childhood goes with them.
mr. Reyes wasnt just a TV personality, but he was also very involved in charities and the community, always given his time for one worthy cause or another. he will be missed by many.
Que en paz descanse
Posted by: Val Prieto ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.babalublog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 4, 2008 08:24 AM
May he rest in peace!
Posted by: Guajiro_de_Broward at January 4, 2008 10:38 AM
Very, well said. . . brings back a lot of memories. Manolo Reyes was a class act.
Posted by: Calabaza at January 4, 2008 11:18 AM
The Miami Herald turned off their comments section on their obituary article on Manolo Reyes. Otherwise, it would have been filled with the usual racist and castroite rantings and ravings and the Herald telephone switchboard would have been constantly ringing with irate calls from Cuban exiles.
Posted by: Tio at January 4, 2008 03:06 PM
I found this link on the channel ten (10) website that proves quite informative
http://www.local10.com/news/14977912/detail.html
Posted by: Guajiro_de_Broward at January 6, 2008 12:13 PM
I remember early mornings watching the news in Spanish on Channel Four. I did not speak Spanish, and still don’t - despite being married to a Cuban lady for over twenty years. But I was always struck by what he conveyed beyond the beyond the language barrier. He tone was authoritative and dignified, his diction crisp and clear. I often said that if I were to learn Spanish, Manolo Reyes is what I wanted to sound like.
When I chanced to meet him, about 15 years ago, I told him how much I enjoyed his morning newscasts. He was very gracious and laughed about the days of Skipper Chuck.
RIP
Posted by: pgioia at January 6, 2008 02:05 PM