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THE HEART

BEHIND

THE STORY

32 YEARS AGO, JACQUELINE NUNEZ
LEFT MEDELLIN, Colombia with $200 and
her heart set on seizing the American
Dream. Jackie was a dreamer through and
through—characterized by her passion
for independence, positive outlook, and
gifted with the capacity to transform the
ordinary to the extraordinary. Doubters
and those who misjudged her did so at
their own peril.

Jackie and her husband, Dr. Rafael Nunez,
understood that sacrifices would be
necessary. Leaving behind her birthplace
and the comforts of home was no small
undertaking. However, their combined
optimism and endurance against any
adversity carried them through, as she
worked long shifts and he studied for
hours on end to pass his Medical Board
exam.

In the valleys between the peaks, Jackie
would privately entertain her own second
thoughts, but the realities of Colombia
during the 1990s went a long way in
assuring her of their decision. She was
immensely proud of her heritage, but her
heart broke for the turmoil rollicking her
home country and its citizens. Her beloved
homeland faced an uncertain future;
which inspired Jackie to redouble her
commitment to bettering hers in the U.S.

This innate drive moved Jackie to take a
leap of faith: in 2000, she and her husband
invested all of their savings into their first
Palm Beach County medical practice,
Soma Medical Center, P.A. Initially, they
were short on cash, but long in faith.
Taking full advantage of the freedom
offered by her adopted home country,
Jackie and her husband’s primary care,
internal medicine, and pediatric practice
would soon grow beyond their dreams.
Club Braman Member Jacqueline Nunez

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