Cuban American recalls getting "freedom back" after 2015 prisoner swap
MIAMI - After seeing images of last week's prisoner swap with Russia, a Cuban American man who was part of a prisoner swap in 2015 is now sharing his story of survival.
Victor Barroso Jr. talked about a deadly accident in Cuba that nearly took his life.
"A truck hit me head-on at 5:30 in the afternoon. I was in a coma for eight days with brain trauma life support. They took the life support off, and if it wasn't for that CPR, I probably would've been dead," he said.
"They charged me with involuntary homicide, but they didn't want to show the police report showing that it was not my fault the health papers of the person that hit me had .21 alcohol in the system and since I didn't have alcohol and he's a Cuban, I'm an American. He's dead I'm alive they made the United States versus Cuba," said Barroso.
It was on November 18, 2012, when Barroso a Cuban American went to Cuba to visit family members and was allegedly hit head-on by a bus.
Victor's right arm was amputated. The bus driver and 4 passengers with him all died. The Cuban government accused him of causing the crash and sent him to prison.
"Eight hundred fifty-one days. That's two years four months and a day. You were counting each and every day. Being stuck in a bathroom with no light with no air, with rats, with cockroaches you don't know if it's Tuesday or Wednesday."
You don't know it any day of the calendar or the year. They just want to make you feel that way to try to get you crazy for no matter the torture, they make you do... you have to be strong," said Barroso.
Three years later, he was a part of a prisoner swap along with Alan Gross, a US contractor accused of spying.
"How was it when you were arriving, and you saw the lights of Miami? You're home?" asked CBS News Miami.
"I couldn't believe it. I was still in shock. I'm free. Everything that we take for granted that I didn't have the choices that you can do. Now, I could eat. I could do whatever I want to do," said Barroso.
And it is freedom something he says he will never take for granted.
"There is no price. Money cannot buy freedom with time. Every day, I wish we had more days of our life but imagine our life is short and you're being held in prison, but you want to be released so you can enjoy the rest of the days of your life," said Barroso.
"Life is beautiful. It's just the way you see it. You may see me with no arm, but I don't believe I'm missing an arm. I am me, myself. I live every day like it's my last. It's different," said Barroso.