- 11 May 2009
By KAYLEIGH KING
Gladys Alard, 82, went to college with Fidel Castro.
"He was a nice man," Alard said. "At first, I didn't realize he had two
personalities."
In September 2008, Josh Wagner, a BYU '08 media arts alumnus, finished
filming a documentary about Alard and her story.
"She taught me about enjoying a full, abundant life," Wagner wrote on
the Current news Web site.
On the site, Wagner posted a clip of the documentary and listed reasons
why people need to know her.
"She's 82 and she dances better than you can," he wrote. "She went to
school with Castro, she's an amazing storyteller and she's charming."
Wagner spent a lot of time with Alard and said she became part of who he is.
"The hard things she's been through have forced her to think
unselfishly," he said. "I became a better person by being around her."
At the University of Havana, Alard received a degree in pharmacy. Castro
was studying to become a lawyer.
While Castro and Alard had their separate groups of friends, they were
friendly acquaintances.
Soon after graduating, Alard married and lost touch with Castro.
Her mother warned her about Castro's two personalities, as Alard's
husband was helping Castro overthrow Batista.
Alard couldn't believe it. How could such a friendly, financially
well-off man, who seemed to have it together, become one of the world's
leading tyrants, she wondered?
"Well he certainly knew how to control people," she said.
Once Castro took reign of Cuba in 1959, many people were killed. Some
people were murdered for being part of the prior government. Others were
killed for making derogatory statements against Castro. Alard and her
husband became fearful of remaining in Cuba.
Alard's husband said "We need to leave this country."
Her immediate family came to the United States in '62 after flying out
of Havana on an American airplane.
"'We're free!' They shouted once the airplane was high enough in the
air," she said. "What a great feeling it is to be free physically,
mentally, emotionally and socially."
After landing in Miami, the government sent her family to Boston.
Soon after, Alard relocated to New York, then New Jersey and finally
Tampa, Fla.
It was in Tampa that she was introduced to the gospel. Alard's daughter
came home from her cousin's wedding and said to Alard, "We don't have to
look for the true church anymore, I found it."
Alard was the last one in her family to accept the gospel.
"When the missionaries asked me if I would be baptized I thought I would
say I need to read the Book of Mormon some more," she said. "Instead, my
spirit shouted yes, I'll be baptized!"
From a young age, she knew she was to be part of spreading the gospel.
As a young girl she received a witness from the Spirit that said,
"Gladys you are to be part of the work."
She was taken by surprise but when she got to America and received the
gospel she understood.
When her daughters came to BYU, she wanted to be close to them so she
moved to Springville and now lives in Provo.
In 1980, she was sealed to her husband in the temple.
The scenery's not as beautiful in the United States as Alard found in
Cuba. She misses the gold, glowing sands and light blue waters.
"The Lord must have been preparing me," she said, "because I haven't
been as homesick for Cuba as I could be."
Alard said she loves to dance, calling it "medicine" for her.
She said the secret to having so much energy is praying at least twice a
day, practicing charity and eating healthfully.
Inside her kitchen cabinets are no processed foods. In fact, her food is
mostly organic.
Teresa Rios from Mexico, currently living in Salt Lake City, met Alard
through a friend.
"She's Christ-like and she helps me have more faith," Rios said. "She is
a big lesson that Heavenly Father is protecting her with good health so
she can take care of people younger than her."
Rios said Alard has a very strong testimony and it makes her strong when
she talks about anything.
"She's says what people need to hear," Rios said.
BYU NewsNet - Provo Cuban refugee dances in freedom (12 May 2009)
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