AM: Is Juanchi’s family actively involved with JunTos as well?
MM: Yes, very much so. You will meet them at the event.
AM: Did you immediately channel your pain into action with JunTos?
MM: First I tried to lobby for better testing of athletes. This meant EKG’s and extensive physical exams. Also, I brought awareness at F.I.U. of the need to have defibrillators readily accessible. There is also a Scholarship Endowment in Toti’s name at FIU to award scholarships to young athletes that become ill.
AM: In what ways are the memories of Juanchi and Toti represented by the foundation?
MM: We try to target the same needs they had. Also we honor their courage during the face of their illness, awarding the “JunTos Courage Award” every year to young men and women that are victims of these awful diseases. We have helped both financially and morally, many patients and their family. We are also Golden Angels of the Jackson Memorial Foundation and contribute a large amount yearly to research of both illnesses.
AM: Tell me more about the courage awards.
MM: The nominees are picked for their unusual courage in the face of illness, then the board votes and a recipient is selected.
LG: This year the courage award goes to two sisters, who had heart transplants, they had same condition as Toti.
AM: In what way has JunTos changed the direction of your life?
MM: It has become my source of inspiration.
AM: What has being a part of JunTos done for you personally?
MM: Given me much satisfaction to see the legacy my son left and how he is remembered.
AM: How do you feel about what you are doing, I mean do you recognize the huge significance of it all?
MM: I do and I feel awesome, but all I concentrate… selfishly is that long after I’m gone… I mean let’s face it Juanchi and Toti had to have been two very special young men to have left such an impact on their classmates and teammates that their moved to not forget them. They talk about them and their jokes constantly.
AM: Because of Toti's heart condition was the possibility of an early death just something you learned to live with?
MM: No, he had cardiomyopathy, which had gone undetected all those years. My son was the picture of health, a top athlete, he was an All American. He was in the best baseball program in the nation. Westminster Christian, were the Juanchi and Toti went to school had the number #1 baseball program in the nation... at that time. That's were A-Rod came from. Juanchi died in High School, but Toti went on to play college baseball. He had a scholarship and it (cardiomyopathy) went undiagnosed all that time. His death was a traumatic blow.
AM: So was Toti born with the condition and nothing could have been done if detected earlier?
MM: A lot could have been done. He should not have been playing sports that's for sure and training so hard.
AM: None of his physicians or coaches thru his athletic medical checkups ever detected it?
MM: No, no they always pushed for more. It’s normal for an athlete to feel tired so they ignore it.
AM: But the physicians never saw it... don’t the athletes have to report for regular checkups?
MM: No they don’t. In High School, kids just need a note from their doctor and Toti's doctor never caught it – I don’t think his regular checkups were deep enough or thorough enough.