We'll Meet Again

When I met Captain Hooper in Mariel it was a very rough night coming over on that day. You went to Cuba you said. I went to Cuba 'cause we worked together. Oh is that right? Captain Hooper. Yeah, Captain George Hooper. He was on one of the company boats and I was on one of the smaller boats and that was my first time takin' a boat from Key West to Cuba. So he was like a mentor to me. Oh wow. Helping me learn how to fish and what not to do and what to do. So, whenever we went to his home port he would take me home and he would feed me keep me out of trouble. So he was, like you said, he was a very caring guy. He showed that. Well he was very spiritual person because his nickname, we used to call him Reverend Joyce. Oh like a Reverend. Yeah. His reasons for going was he was trying you know, being the richest person that he was to try to help. That doesn't surprise me. Well that's what I'm saying with him sacrificing his family because somebody needed help. A man with a big heart. Yeah. I've been to the Keys many times and I've always asked around but I've never found anybody that knew him. That's what I came to kind of tell you about him five or six years after Mariel he got sick. Oh, okay. And he was in a nursing home and he passed on quite a few years back. Oh, I'm sorry. But I know he would appreciate what you are doin' comin' to find him because a lot of people we brought over here-- No one has ever-- Nobody never wanted to reach out and say-- Thank you. Thank you. So it means a lot to me because he meant a lot to me. You know after all these years of wanting to meet the Captain and learning that he has since passed, it's a bit of a I wouldn't say disappointment, it's a little bit of a, it saddens me a bit 'cause I really wanted to thank him but yeah I wish I would have been able to say thank you. (solemn music) -

Narrator

Although Captain Hooper has passed away George does have one more piece of news for Juan. I looked for his family when I found out (sobs) that he had passed away. So I made it my business to go to Appalachia and look for them and I got in touch with one of his daughters and we kept in contact. Oh that's great. Because what he done for me and I told 'em about you but I don't know how many of 'em are here. They're here? They're here. Like in Fort Lauderdale? They're here, up here. Oh, no way. Yeah way. Come here, give me a hug, thank you, I appreciate it. (soft music) It's almost like there's a connection there between him and Captain Hooper. I'm not surprised to hear some of the things that he was sharing. It just reaffirms for me why I wanted to thank him because I knew that he was an extraordinary person. Thank you so much Alright sir. We'll stay in touch. We will. Take care. But to be able to see his family and thanking them, that's as close as we can get. I'll take that. It's gonna be exciting day. (piano music) -

Narrator

Juan will get to meet the family of the man who saved his life.