Remembering Carlos S. Alvarado

Abstract

I have remote but clear memories about the first time that I met Carlos S. Alvarado. It was in 1972. He was 17 and I 19 years old. Let me explain why we met at so young an age. In 1972 I was a member of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR). By that time, I was intellectually precocious and had already read about 200 books and many journals on psychical research or parapsychology. However, I felt completely alone: Nobody in Puerto Rico seemed to know the academic literature on those subjects. Therefore, I wrote to the secretary of the SPR asking if there was another member in Puerto Rico. At last! Yes! A person by the name of Carlos S. Alvarado. My first reaction was of total elation. However, on second thought, I was nervous and hesitant. I expected to meet a much older person who, seeing my young age, would dismiss me. So I wrote to Carlos a long letter where I explained that I was a young person but with a very serious approach to parapsychology. Rapidly he replied to me (remember, by mail; there was no email then). He really surprised me when he told me that he was nearly two years younger than I was! Not only that, our mothers had been friends when they were younger! So, in that way, a friendship that extended for 49 years began. In this obituary, I want to concentrate my comments on those early years that were important in Carlos’ decision to study parapsychology and to dedicate his intellectual life to the subject.