Gloria Estefan

Out of the dark...

Into the light

How does one describe Gloria Estefan’s career? Double platinum albums, numerous Top Ten hits, prestigious music awards,
sold-out performances around the world and then – tragedy.

On a highway in Pennsylvania in March of last year, Gloria Estefan’s future was dramatically altered when her tour bus was crushed by a speeding semi. As she lay on the floor of the bus, her back broken & wracked with pain, she faced the prospect of losing the career she had worketo obtain. “No, this is not going to happend!” she told herself. “I’m going to do everything necessary to make myself strong, to make myself better than ever.”

That’s when Gloria’s faith kicked in – faith in God and faith in herself. Determined and disciplined, Gloria set out to climb the strenuous and painful mountain of recovery. Three months later, after two eight-inch steel rods were implanted in her back, she began work on a new album. Less than a year after the accident, “Into the Light” was released, and Gloria Estefan was on the charts once again.

Now in the midst of a mega tour, Gloria is walking, singing, and yes, dancing testimony of faith for audiences throughout the world. And she’s thankful to those fans, because they helped pull her through her trials. “I could not feel down,” she says. “I used everybody’s prayers – I could feel that energy focused on me, and I used it. Most performers have to die to elicit such an outpouring of love.”

“God was a big part
of it. To me, it’s
proof positive we can
move mountains with
positive thinking
and prayer.”

In a recent interview with Catholic News Service, Gloria elaborated on the impact God and prayer had on her recovery. “Obviously, God was a big part of it. To me, it’s proof positive we can move mountains with positive thinking and prayer. The doctor told me that my recovery depended on what I did to make it better. I decided to put this [injury] out of my mind and firmly state that my goal is to get back on stage.”

And Gloria’s struggle added a new dimension to her music: Gospel. “Coming Out of the Dark,” the first single off her new album, features a church choir. “Gospel music is not only spiritual but it’s uplifting,” says Gloria. “It’s music that’s been born from a lot of pain and suffering, but it still manages to be very positive and very energetic.”

There’s no doubt: Gloria Estefan is back and more grounded and vibrant than ever. And as the following exclusive interview shows, she’s a person with something to say.

Paul Lauer: Hi, how ya doin’?

Gloria Estefan: I’m fine, how are you? By the way, thanks for the balloon – you didn’t have to do that.

PL: Aw, shucks. Listens, you have a ferocious dog, don’t you?

GE: Yeah. We also have a rabbit named Thumper.

PL: Cool. Unique name. Let’s talk about the rest of the family. Were you close to your parents growing up?

GE: Well, we had a lot more seperation than most families ever see because my father was in the military. Things were rough because he got ill.

Gloria’s father, José, died after 12 years of suffering from Agent Orange-related illness (resulting from his years fighting in Vietnam). As a child, Gloria cared for her father. But at times the sight of him suffering would overwhelm her and she would go to her room and close the door. There, instead of crying, she would sing.

PL: What was you mom like?

GE: My mom was a typical Hispanic mom, and I was very close to my grandmother. My mother was very religious, and my grandmother was more ... spiritual. I was raised in Catholic schools. The first few years I went to the schools ont he bases where my father was stationed.

Wehn I was in the fifth grade, I moved to Miami and I ended up at an all-girls Catholic high school, which was pretty typical of a Hispanic family. I mean, in Cuba, the boys would go to the all-boys Catholic high school, and the girls would go to the all-girls Catholic high school.

PL: Were you a troublemaker in school?

GE: I was always very inquisitive with all my teachers, all the nuns at school. I wasn’t the troublemaker by any means; there was another girl who had that title. No, I was very popular with the nuns. I always helped them out. I used to play guitar at the folk Masses.

And, actually, the nuns talked to me a lot because at the time I was going through all that stuff with my father’s sickness. They just talked to me a lot, and they were very helpful. I was just very introspective.

At 19, Gloria met Emilio Estefan, who coaxed her into performing a few songs with his band, The Miami Latin Boys. She was a success, and Miami Sound Machine was formed. But that wasn’t all. When Gloria graduated a few years later from the University of Miami, she also embarked on a new life with Emilio – as his wife.

PL: Did your mother let you date?

GE: I didn’t date. The first guy that I started dating really was my husband Emilio, because by that time I was 19 years old. I really didn’t date too much in high school because I stayed at home a lot with my dad. But along those lines, my mother was a strict Catholic mother.. I mean, she didn’t let me shave my legs until I was 15.

PL: So you lived a sheltered life?

GE: Yeah, I think I did, especially when I look back now. But the people I hung around with were all very similar, from protective homes. I guess in a way I was kind of innocent. I was home a lot. I didn’t have the social life of regular teenagers.

PL: Did marriage change you?

GE: It did in a way. I used to be a couch potatoe. But Emilio is a motivator. He’s a workaholic. He likes to be doing a thousand things at once. He has a real good eye for potential, and he’s brought out a lot of things in me.

I think that’s one of the reasons for the success of our relationship, because he has really brought out the best in me. And I tend to pull him down and not make him run so fast, because sometimes I miss a lot of things when I’m working so hard. It’s a good balance.

PL: Did you ever think you might be famous some day?

GE: You know, I had a feeling that I was going to do something with my life that was out of the ordinary. I didn’t know what it was. I still feel that there is something I can do, that I’m meant for, that is beyond what I’m doing now.

I think this is putting me in the position to help some people, which is what I always wanted to do. I wanted to be a psychologist, and I guess helping people is still in my blood. When I sing, I’m helping them out in a way, but I feel that maybe I’ve been put in this position so I can make a difference in some other area, maybe even monetarily. Whatever it may be ... I don’t know yet, exactly...

But I did feel when I was young that something was going to happen. I’ve had a lot of feelings that have come true.

PL: Did you ever think of being a missionary?

GE: I thought about it, I really did. That was one of the things I wanted to do when I was young. But if I would’ve tolf my mom that I was going off to Africa or something, I think it would have killed her. I mean, I didn’t even go away to the University. I stayed at the University of Miami because I didn’t want to leave her alone.

PL: And now you’re a mother. Do you see things differently as a parent?

GE: Well, you become a parent and you don’t know what you’re doing. You try your best, that’s all you can do, but you’re still human. You make mistakes and everything. It’s very important for me to pass things on to my child, like to learn how to be happy, because that’s one of the things that we’re never really thaught.

But at the same time I want him to be responsible. I don’t want him to take the things he has for granted, which is really hard, because he’s not going to have the life I had. If Emilio and I aren’t careful, our son will never enjoy anything because he’ll think he deserved everything, and everything is so easy.

PL: Do you think that’s one of the reasons kids are getting into destructive things like drugs?

GE: I think that today’s generation is spoiled in a lot of ways. Toys make it so that they don’t have to invent anything. They don’t have to be creative; everything just does everythin gby itself. And it gets to the point where their minds are kind of wasted, in a way.

PL: Yeah, it takes more to entertain us, so we get into heavier stuff.

GE: Exactly. They’re looking for new and different thrills each time, and I think that’s the danger that drugs holds fro them. That’s a new and different thrill: it’s offered to them; it’s easy to get. It’s a big business now, so people are making sure that it doesn’t disappear, and that’s really bad.

PL: Any idea on how to turn this stuff around?

GE: We can no longer wait until we think it’s right to discuss drugs. Kids are being approached at very young ages, so we have to start very young and explain the very real dangers. It’s like crossing the street and getting run over. It’s as available as that, you know.

PL: Are you doing anything in the public arena to help kids with their problems?

GE: Yes, I’m getting involved with an abused children’s foundation, and contributing to the cancer centers around int he city that help kids. Hopefully, I can do something to make things better for people. I’d like to be remembered for having done something worthwhile in that way. [Gloria has recently been very active with the “Don’t Drink and Drive” platform as well.]

PL: What do you think of YOU! Magazine – honestly?

GE: I’ll tell you. I think it’s great. I think we need this kind of magazine. I mean, you have to talk to youth. It’s a great magazine and I think you’re doing a good job.

PL: Is that why, despite your hectic schedule, you agreed to do this interview?

GE: Well, it’s different than the regular interview. I really like to do interviews, but I’ve been saying “no” to everything because we’re so busy. But when things geared towards youth I like to do them, because that’s where the future lies. So I know in a way that I’m talking to them. And they need to know that even though you’re going to find a lot of obstacles in your life, not just in your career, but in everything, you just have to be patient and persevere.

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