About the Author
Maruchi Mendez is a Cuban-born writer and author of Finding Home: A Memoir of a Mother’s Undying Love and an Untold Secret (Reedy Press); Buscando Mi Estrella, its Spanish translation (Penguin Random House); and the first and second editions of 100 Things to Do in Miami Before You Die (Reedy Press).
She is the co-founder of JunTos Foundation, which helps young victims of heart disease and cancer and their families. She is also a fierce advocate for student-athletes’ health. For her efforts, she has been recognized with proclamations from the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. In 2001, she was the recipient of the American Heart Association’s Courage Award.
Maruchi lives in Miami, where she has raised her family and is a proud mother and grandmother.
"I've have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
— Maya Angelou
About Toti
Ramiro "Toti" Mendez passed away on April 2, 2000. Toti's life was cut short by a condition known as sudden cardiac death (SCD) caused by undetected Cardiomyopathy. He was a very caring young man who had a great passion for baseball. Aside from family and baseball, Toti's life was his FIU family and teammates. A memorial plaque was erected at the FIU pitcher’s bullpen in honor of Toti. Florida International University has established a scholarship fund in his name known as “The 23 Scholarship Endowment Fund.” His uniform #23, has been retired.
