Yusef y Ramiro

Yusef the main character in this story, was a local production runner for a shoot that I was on in Cuba. And even before I knew anything about him, he had already piqued my interest 􀀂with his unique character. He was quiet, barely noticeable during the shoot and, despite his polite smile, gave off the impression he'd be happier to not be noticed. Yet, for someone so subdued, I was constantly impressed at the speed with which he was able to fix a range of things for our production. Toward the end of the shoot, our fixer Roberto told me that Yusef was in fact training for Paralympic qualification in the 100 and 200-meter sprint. To help fund the dream of reaching the Paralympic Games in Tokyo he had several side jobs next to his daily training schedule. Upon further research, I found his name listed on the official Olympic register website. But that was it. No promotion or publicity or online presence. No one knew, of his dedication or the passion that this quiet figure was putting into achieving his dreams. That compelled me to tell his story.