Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisela Collins.
Hi Marisela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
**A Life Built on Faith, Music, Family, and Hope**
Thirty-five years ago, I married the love of my life, Luis. We were young, deeply in love, and full of dreams. Like many newlyweds, we envisioned a future filled with opportunities, family, and purpose. I dreamed of continuing my education in Europe, while Luis was building an extraordinary career as the Principal Trombonist of the world-renowned Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela. At the same time, I was completing my degree in Business Administration, excited about the future we were creating together.
Life, however, had a different plan.
Several years into our marriage, we welcomed our beautiful daughter, Mariselis. Shortly after her birth, she was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease, a severe hereditary blood disorder. From that moment on, our lives changed forever. We quickly learned that becoming loving parents also meant becoming students of medicine, advocates, researchers, and caregivers.
For years, our family lived through countless hospital admissions, emergency room visits, surgeries, intensive care stays, blood transfusions, and medical crises. We experienced sleepless nights that sometimes turned into weeks and even months inside hospital rooms. Yet through every challenge, we remained determined to give our daughter the best life possible.
Eventually, we faced one of the biggest decisions of our lives: a bone marrow transplant.
In April 2003, carrying little more than hope in our suitcases, we arrived in Memphis, Tennessee, where Mariselis was accepted into a groundbreaking Phase I clinical trial at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. On July 15, 2003, she made medical history by becoming the first child in the world to receive a bone marrow transplant from one of her parents using that protocol. Her father, Luis, became her donor.
Before the transplant, we signed countless consent forms describing every possible complication imaginable. We knew the risks, but we also knew that hope often requires courage.
The first days after transplant were encouraging. Some days were easier than others, but overall, she recovered remarkably well. For the next two and a half years, our lives revolved around hospital appointments, strict infection precautions, and protecting her fragile immune system. She wore a mask everywhere, and we faithfully followed every recommendation from her medical team.
When she was finally discharged from the transplant program, we decided to return home to Venezuela.
At the same time, after eleven years of waiting, I was expecting our second child. Our joy was accompanied by uncertainty because we knew there was a possibility our baby could also inherit Sickle Cell Disease. Still, I wanted to give birth surrounded by my parents, siblings, lifelong obstetrician, nurses, and the love of our family.
Our son, Luis Alejandro, arrived exactly as we had dreamed, welcomed with overwhelming love.
When he was six months old, we returned to Memphis for one of Mariselis’ follow-up evaluations. During that visit, our fears became reality: Luis Alejandro was also diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease.
Fortunately, he qualified for an innovative medication protocol that has successfully maintained high fetal hemoglobin levels for many years, helping protect him from many of the severe complications associated with the disease. Although there have still been emergency room visits and even intensive care admissions, we have remained hopeful.
I will never forget something our dear physician and family friend, Dr. Ely Benahim, told us during one of those visits.
“Maybe in eight years, gene therapy will become available. Luis Alejandro will probably benefit from it.”
Those words stayed with us.
After that trip, we visited Disney World before returning to Venezuela. But we came home with a new vision. We realized that our children’s future would likely be brighter if we eventually built our lives in the United States, where treatment options continued to advance.
Only a few months later, in July 2008, we returned to Memphis for Mariselis’ five-year transplant follow-up.
During that routine evaluation, doctors discovered a small tumor at the base of her brain.
She was diagnosed with medulloblastoma.
Once again, our family faced another life-changing battle. She underwent radiation and chemotherapy, but this time, something inside me had already changed. I had learned that my attitude would become part of my daughter’s healing journey.
Every morning, no matter how exhausted I felt, I woke up early, got dressed, and put on bright red lipstick before entering her room.
I wanted my daughter to always see me smiling.
Even on the hardest days, I believed that if she could see strength in my face, she would find strength in herself.
That simple act became one of the greatest lessons of my life: courage is often communicated without words.
Less than a year later, after everything we had experienced, we made the decision to remain in the United States.
We maintained legal status throughout our journey, and we were blessed when a local church, together with a symphony orchestra and music school, became our sponsors. Their generosity reminded us that kindness truly changes lives.
Along the way, we found another family within our community. Friends gathered in our home to cook, sing, and celebrate life. Those evenings eventually inspired us to create a Latin band called Caribbean Sound.
Music once again became our language of hope.
My husband directed the orchestra while I became the lead singer. Together we performed throughout Memphis at festivals, corporate events, cultural celebrations, restaurants, and Latin venues. One unforgettable milestone was becoming the Latin band for the Memphis Grizzlies’ NBA Latin Nights.
Those years allowed us to share our culture while building bridges through music.
As our daughter prepared to enter high school, we decided to begin another chapter and moved to Katy, Texas.
It turned out to be one of the best decisions of our lives.
Nearly fifteen years ago, when Katy was still a much smaller community, I founded what became one of the area’s most popular Latin music nights. From there, our company continued to grow. We performed at thousands of weddings, quinceañeras, galas, private celebrations, corporate events, and community festivals.
In 2016, I was honored to receive the Woman of the Year Award in the Arts for Music, along with several other recognitions for my contributions to the Hispanic community and the performing arts.
My passion for connecting people also led me to television, where I became a regular contributor on a Spanish-language program on Mega TV. Later, I launched my own podcast, where for nearly eight years I have interviewed inspiring individuals whose stories often deserved a much larger audience.
Today, I am the co-owner of Karibe Production, LLC, where we produce live entertainment and provide professional sound production services. During the day, I also work as an administrative professional, balancing business, family, and entrepreneurship. And whenever I step onto a stage, audiences know me as **Marisela y Su Son Karibe**.
Looking back, I realize that my life has never been defined by obstacles.
It has been defined by the decision to keep moving forward.
I have learned that strength is not about pretending life is easy. Strength is choosing hope when fear seems louder. It is smiling when your children need to borrow your courage. It is building beauty while walking through uncertainty.
Today, our family is once again witnessing the incredible progress of medicine. We are now waiting for Luis Alejandro to receive gene therapy, the very treatment that, years ago, was only a distant dream mentioned by a hopeful physician.
What once felt impossible is now within reach.
Above all, my journey has taught me that faith, resilience, love, and perseverance can transform even the most difficult chapters into a life filled with purpose.
Every challenge strengthened our family.
Every blessing reminded us to be grateful.
And every new beginning became another opportunity to inspire others never to give up.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it has not been a smooth road. My journey has been filled with unexpected challenges that tested my faith, resilience, and determination.
One of the greatest struggles was caring for both of my children after they were diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease. We spent years going through hospitalizations, surgeries, blood transfusions, and long periods of uncertainty. Later, after my daughter successfully underwent a groundbreaking bone marrow transplant, she was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, and our family had to face yet another life-changing battle.
Another of the most difficult parts of my journey has been living far away from my loved ones. Leaving Venezuela meant being separated from my mother, my sisters, and my nephews, and that has been emotionally very hard. Missing family milestones, holidays, and simply not being able to hug them or be there when they need me is a sacrifice that never becomes easy.
Starting over in a new country also came with many challenges. We had to build a new life from the ground up while balancing medical care for our children, raising a family, adapting to a different culture, and creating new professional opportunities. There were moments of fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion, but I never allowed those moments to define our future.
Instead, every obstacle strengthened my faith and reminded me why I had to keep moving forward. Those experiences taught me resilience, gratitude, and the importance of finding hope even in the most difficult circumstances. Looking back, I realize that every struggle became part of the foundation that shaped the person I am today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Over the years, I have become known as one of the most respected and beloved local Latina artists in Katy, Texas. While music is at the heart of what I do, I believe my work goes far beyond singing. I specialize in creating meaningful experiences. I connect with people, tell stories, bring joy, and make every audience feel seen and included. Whether I am performing at a community festival, a gala, a wedding, or a corporate event, my goal is always the same: to leave people feeling happier and more connected than when they arrived.
As the co-owner of Karibe Production, LLC, I have also built a reputation for professionalism, integrity, and excellence. I believe that your word is your greatest asset. If I make a commitment, I honor it. People know they can trust me to deliver exactly what I promise, and I believe that consistency has been one of the keys to earning the respect of my clients and my community.
What I am most proud of is not the awards or the recognition, although I am deeply grateful for them. I am proud to be a woman, a Latina, and a voice that encourages and uplifts others. Throughout my journey, I have tried to show that success is not only measured by personal achievements, but by how many lives you positively impact along the way.
I believe God has given me the privilege and the responsibility to inspire others. Whether through music, my podcast, community service, or simply the way I choose to live, I hope my life reminds people that faith, perseverance, kindness, and integrity can open doors that once seemed impossible. If my story gives even one person the courage to keep going, then I know I am fulfilling my purpose.
I also take great pride in opening doors for others and creating opportunities where none existed before. I have always believed that true leadership is about lifting others as you rise. I strive to set a positive example, build bridges within the Hispanic community, and leave a legacy of generosity, excellence, and service. If people remember me not only as an entertainer but as someone who made a lasting difference in the lives of others, that would be my greatest accomplishment.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe my life or my business has been shaped by luck. I believe my greatest blessing has been having God as the one and only director of my life. Every opportunity, every open door, and every challenge has been part of His perfect plan. I have learned to trust His timing, work with integrity, and keep moving forward in faith. For me, that’s not luck, that’s God’s grace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mariselaysusonkaribe.com
- Instagram: @Mariselaysusonkaribe
- Facebook: Marisela Y Su Son Karibe
