DOCTORS OF INTEREST
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Treasure Coast Medical Report
her father bought 10 acres of land and built the horse farm.
She became quite a rider and the family bred show horses for
competitions around the state. Today, Maria is a veterinarian
and younger sister Christina is a psychologist. Both married
this year. Asked if growing up in a doctor’s house influenced
their career paths, Mandina said without hesitation, “Absolutely,
without a doubt.”
Both daughters were basketball stars, but they never had
the chance to play on the same team when they were younger.
However, while studying in Spain, they played for the
University of Navarra. “I had to go see them because I had
never seen them play together on the same team,” Mandina
said.
Howard Avril coached the Mandina sisters from fifth to
eighth grades at St. Helen’s Catholic School in Vero Beach
and later at John Carroll. He has been a family friend for 20
years. Avril brings Mandina toy turtles, saying he should
raise live turtles instead of horses.
“Leo has the reputation of being one of the best diagnosticians
in Indian River County, but those darn horses,” Avril
said. “I keep telling him to raise turtles. These horses have
taken half of their lives. With Leo, everything has to be done
all the way. He and his wife do everything to take care of the
horses. For him, it is his practice, his wife and his horses. I
keep telling him to play golf or something.”
Despite having family in Cuba, Mandina has not been back
to Cuba since he left 56 years ago.
“I will never go back as long as his (Castro’s) regime is in
power,” he said. “They are murderers and I don’t agree with
President Obama’s decision to open up Cuba. My parents
were deeply anti-communist and so am I.” Tornado del Sol prances around at Hacienda del Sol west of Vero Beach.
TERRI RUGGERIO
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