https://karakullake.blogspot.com/2018/12/definitive-detailed-darien-gap-map.html
https://expertvagabond.com/darien-gap-boca-de-cupe/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60r2-51k_2a1E4Suye1XDNuzwV6rvZOqeiysWEvgwR97zxO6RYX8DiNd4PyxsyYPi2cx2Ch1Dw6qarDAbDsjH4OHbxdd5z8L47rmFKGEnlEUjAq2sZrJcmlqbMgMtj805fDpo/s1600/darien.jpg
Today marks exactly one year since Mamá and I left Santiago. It feels like a lifetime ago, yet the memories are as fresh as if it were yesterday. I can still hear her voice, always so strong and reassuring, telling me that everything would be alright, that we were destined for a better life. Little did I know that her strength would become the foundation upon which I would have to build my own resolve.
Mamá died six months ago. We had made it through the most treacherous parts of the jungle, all the way to the Darien Gap. It was hell—endless days of cutting through thick foliage, nights filled with the cries of unseen animals, and the constant threat of being killed by drug smugglers on the same path. But we kept moving, driven by the hope of reaching the United States, the land of opportunity, a place where we could start over.
Crossing the river was the most harrowing part. The current was fierce, fiercer than we anticipated. I remember Mamá’s face as she urged me to go ahead, her eyes filled with fear but also determination. She insisted she was right behind me. I made it to the other side and turned back to see her struggling, the water pulling her under. I screamed, I tried to go back, but it was too late. The jungle had claimed her.
Her loss was a blow I didn’t think I could survive. I wanted to give up so many times, but then I would remember her words, her dreams for me. Mamá didn’t endure all that suffering for me to abandon our journey. Her spirit has been my guide, my reason to keep moving forward. Every step I take is in tribute to her and to all the souls who never made it out of the Darien Gap. They deserve to be remembered, and I carry their stories with me.
As I sit here at the border, I feel the weight of this journey. The end is in sight, but it’s not the end of the struggle. There are still countless obstacles to overcome. But I am ready. I have to be. For Mamá. For everyone who lost their lives in that unforgiving jungle. For myself.
I will make it to the other side. I will build the life Mamá dreamed of for us. And I will never forget the sacrifices made along the way. This journey is no longer just mine—it’s a testament to the resilience and courage of all who dared to dream of a better future.