Caue Jose Barreto Figueiredo '25 Recruiting Profile

September 1st, 2019 — for many, a forgettable Sunday; for me, a pivotal day. The familiar sound of suitcase wheels rolling, mixed with hurried footsteps and farewell conversations, wasn't new to me. But this time, the usual excitement of being at the airport was almost entirely overshadowed by anxiety. As my flight was announced, I knew it was time to say goodbye to my best friend: my father. He hugged me tightly, and I couldn't help but cry, realizing that neither of us knew when we would see each other again.

After struggling with severe depression for more than a year, my mother found a new sense of purpose: to start a fresh chapter in the United States. She enrolled in an English course in New Jersey, and thus, the preparations for our move began. My father, however, chose not to join us — something that, at 12 years old, I couldn't fully understand until a few months later, when they divorced.

Despite months of preparation, nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming mix of fear, excitement, and uncertainty that flooded me on that first night in a new country. For a boy who grew up in a small coastal city in Brazil, the dazzling lights and honking cars of Miami were jarring, yet awe-inspiring.

Only a few months after we settled, the Covid-19 pandemic began. Like many, I found myself in a deep state of melancholy that I now recognize as a depressive episode. My father's absence during the months of lockdown was devastating. I felt lonely and nostalgic for the life I had, and my nights were filled with memories of playing for the Alagoas Handball Federation, representing the state in tournaments around the country playing the sport that I used to think was going to be my future career. Sports had always been a passion of mine, but due to the lockdown, I could no longer engage in it. This led me to develop several unhealthy habits, including excessive video game use and self-isolation.

Looking back, I realize that each of those difficult moments played a role in shaping who I am today. I could have blamed the pandemic, my circumstances, or the pain of leaving behind the life I knew. But instead, I chose to take responsibility for my own journey. The day I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize myself was the turning point. It was then that I decided to change my path. 

From my mother, I learned that no matter how hard life gets, there is always a way forward. It’s our choices, not our challenges, that determine who we become. I pushed through the darkness and rediscovered purpose through volleyball, dedicating all my four years of high school to this sport, finally making friends and sharing the skills that I have been developing all my life through sports with my teammates — a reminder that no matter how lost I felt, there was always room for growth, happiness, and kindness. These experiences taught me that while I can't always control what happens, I can control how I respond. With every challenge, I’ve discovered new strengths in myself, and I now know that resilience, dedication, and optimism will guide me forward, no matter what lies ahead.