John Medina
Contributor
I remember arriving in Live Oak, Fla., in 1974 as a 10-year-old immigrant from the Dominican Republic and not being able to speak English. Prior to starting school at Suwannee Elementary School, I had to visit a doctor and get the required immunization. That's when I first met Dr. Hugo Sotolongo, one of the few doctors in Live Oak and an immigrant from Cuba. Finally, I'd met someone I could understand. While he has always been small in stature, I would come to see him as a giant in so many ways over the next 50+ years.
The Physician - In those days, small-town doctors addressed every facet of human physiology. As such, Dr. Sotolongo was an OB/GYN (delivered my wife, Dee Dee), pediatrician (took care of many children, including my brother and me), orthopedic (mended many bones), general practitioner (took care of my mother), geriatrics (took care of my grandmother and great-grandmother), etc. In short, Dr. Sotolongo was a, if not, the primary physician and surgeon for our entire community.
The Father and Husband - Dr. Sotolongo was married to the love of his life, Priscila, until her passing in 2021. They met while in Cuba and arrived in Live Oak in 1955. They were married 70 years and raised five children, Hugo, Carlos, Prissy, Bobby and David, in Live Oak. After his almost 50-year career as a physician, Dr. Sotolongo retired and soon moved to Durham, N.C., to be closer to their adult children and grandchildren. In both Live Oak and Durham, the Sotolongos were very active in the Catholic church. Faith, family, friends, service to those in need, community and education were key foundations for their family. I was able to meet four of their five children and attest that the Sotolongos's values, character and spirit are alive and well. What a great testament to the legacy of Dr. Sotolongo and Priscilla.
The Business Leader - First Federal Saving and Loan of Live Oak (now First Federal Bank) was founded by John Flood in 1962. Flood asked Dr. Sotolongo to be a member of First Federal Bank's founding Board of Directors. For the next 30+ years, Dr. Sotolongo served on the board and was instrumental in the company's early growth. During his board tenure, First Federal Bank grew from $1 million in total assets to over $100 million in total assets. Today, thanks to the leadership and legacy of great leaders like Dr. Sotolongo, First Federal Bank is a $4 billion bank helping clients throughout the USA.
Today - At the age of 101, Dr. Sotolongo is the only remaining founding board member of First Federal Bank. He is still living in Durham, N.C., and is frequently visited by his family. I recently had the high honor of visiting Dr. Sotolongo and was able to express my/our profound appreciation for his many years of service to humanity, our community, First Federal Bank and, yes, for caring for multiple generations of my family. We discussed old Cuba, Live Oak (then and now), the bank, his former friends and patients, and the good he has done in this world. He is still gregarious as ever and small in stature, but as much of a giant today as he has been his entire life.
