Once A Cardinal The Podcast

In this episode of Once A Cardinal, I sit down with David, Harlingen High School Class of 2003, to talk about his South Texas upbringing, the teachers who encouraged his creativity, and how his high school Media Technology class opened the door to filmmaking. From homemade movies with friends in Harlingen to directing Texas Chainsaw Massacre, David Blue Garcia’s filmmaking journey began with curio...

Gerry Gonzalez, Harlingen High class of 1980, spent his career behind the camera instead of in front of it. He started as a cameraman at KGBT while still in high school, then built a career in Los Angeles that took him to the Academy Awards, a decade shooting alongside John Quiñones on Primetime and What Would You Do?, and news assignments across the globe, from Cuba to Haiti to the Middle East. I...

Lisa Campos, Harlingen High School Class of 1990, turned her love for her hometown into Explore Harlingen, a social media community followed by more than 42,000 people. In this episode, Lisa shares why she returned to Harlingen after building a 20-year career in Austin, Houston, and Dallas, and how becoming a mother to her daughter, Lola, helped bring her home. She also reveals the story behind Ex...

A true Cardinal legend joins us! Gloria Campos, Harlingen High School Class of 1972, shares her journey from the Rio Grande Valley and KGBT to an incredible 40-year career in Dallas television news. This three-time Hall of Fame journalist reflects on her Cardinal roots, life behind the anchor desk, and some of the remarkable people she has interviewed along the way. You won’t want to miss this con...

From  drum major at Harlingen High School  to serving his country in the  United States Army , Florencio “Lench” Garcia, HHS Class of 1984, has taken one heck of a journey. He’s been a preacher, a financial consultant, a businessman, and what he considers one of his greatest roles, a  builder of people . Now, as a grandfather, Lench looks back on the twists, turns, successes, failures, and lessons...

From the Rio Grande Valley to leading one of Texas' premier high school band programs, 2002 graduate Amanda Stevenson's journey is one of passion, perseverance, and breaking barriers. In this episode of  Once A Cardinal, Always A Cardinal , we sit down with Harlingen High School alumna  Amanda Stevenson , who currently serves as the Director of Bands at Wakeland High School in the Dallas-F...

What does it mean to build a life rooted in hard work, service, and staying true to where you came from? In this episode of Once A Cardinal, Always A Cardinal, we sit down with Harlingen High School alumnus Randy Bermea to talk about the journey that began in the Rio Grande Valley and the experiences that shaped the man he is today. Randy reflects on his years at Harlingen High, the friendships an...

In this episode of  Once A Cardinal, Always A Cardinal , we sit down with Harlingen High School alumna  Debbie Cestero D'Souza , whose remarkable life has taken her from Caracas, Venezuela, to the Rio Grande Valley, and ultimately onto the national stage. Debbie shares what it was like growing up in Venezuela before the country's dramatic political and economic transformation, how those ex...

From working behind the scenes as a producer to becoming one of the Rio Grande Valley's most recognizable morning news anchors, Trey Cerna's career is a story of hard work, perseverance, and staying true to his roots. A proud member of Harlingen High School's Class of 2002, Trey began his broadcasting career, first as a producer, then as a reporter, before earning a spot as the station...

From Bonita Park to Texas A&I, a Cardinal's Journey In this episode of  Once a Cardinal, Always a Cardinal , we sit down with Harlingen High legend  John "Johnny White Shoes" Grant , one of the Valley's most memorable football standouts. John takes us back to his childhood growing up in the Bonita Park Projects, where family, friendships, and faith helped shape the man he wou...

For decades, the name  Allan Brumley  has been synonymous with excellence, leadership, and music education in Harlingen. In this episode of  Once A Cardinal, Always A Cardinal , Allan takes us on a remarkable journey from his beginnings in San Antonio to leading the legendary Big Red Cardinal Band to national prominence. Under his direction, Harlingen High School earned top honors across Texas and...

Once A Cardinal | Episode ft. Mike Haynes From the hardwood to heartbreak and back to inspiring greatness. Mike Haynes was once a shining star on the high school basketball court, a talent so bright it carried him all the way to the University of Texas. But life had a detour in store that no one could have predicted. In a senseless act of road rage, Mike was shot, a moment that would change his li...

Not every coach's legacy is measured by championships. In this episode of  Once A Cardinal , we sit down with Gus Cavazos, a man whose influence on generations of Rio Grande Valley students extends far beyond the football field. Although Gus never played varsity football and didn't take the traditional path into coaching, he built a long and successful career mentoring young athletes throu...

In this episode of  Once a Cardinal Podcast , we sit down with Harlingen High Class of ’84 standout athlete Oralia to talk about her journey from Harlingen to the beauty industry and beyond. From her days growing up in Harlingen and competing as a Cardinal athlete, to studying at the Art Institute of Houston and pursuing her dreams in Los Angeles, Oralia shares the experiences, friendships, and li...

From Friday night lights to life-changing redemption, this episode dives deep into the remarkable story of Freddy Paredes, the original #15 quarterback for Cardinal football. Freddy opens up about growing up in Harlingen, the neighborhood football games that shaped him, and the mentors, teachers, and teammates who helped define his journey both on and off the field. He shares unforgettable memorie...

In this episode of  Once A Cardinal , we sit down with Ron Sauceda, a proud product of the Bonita Park neighborhood whose story is rooted in music, community, and family. From his early days playing in the Coakley Junior High band to marching with the dancing tubas at Harlingen High School, Ron shares how those formative experiences shaped his character and lifelong friendships. Ron reflects on th...

Angel Paxton’s story is rooted in community, shaped by lifelong friendships, and driven by a purpose that has touched generations. Born in Corpus Christi and called to Harlingen from an early age, she found her home in the Cardinal community, a place that would define her journey both personally and professionally. From her days at Harlingen High School, where she poured herself into student life...

In this episode of the  Once A Cardinal Podcast , we sit down with  Dean McCarty  to talk about a journey that started in a school band hall and led all the way to the Grammy stage. Dean shares how his early love for music and the influence of great teachers helped shape his path to becoming a  Grammy-winning horn player , performing with some of the best musicians in the industry. Along the way,...

From the halls of Ben Milam Elementary to the rank of Master Chief in the United States Navy, Gabriel Cantu’s story is one of transformation, discipline, and enduring love. In this episode of  Once A Cardinal the Podcast , Gabriel shares how a troubled youth and a series of poor choices led to a life-changing paradigm shift. Grounded by the steady support of his junior high school sweetheart — the...

Buckle up, put your seat and tray tables in the upright position, and enjoy an hour-long conversation with A.J. Mancabelli as he shares stories, memories, and what it truly means to be  Once a Cardinal . From the high school drumline to stages around the world, A.J.’s journey is anything but ordinary. Once the wild child of the band hall, he grew into a full-blown road warrior and seeing the world...

This journey starts at  Harlingen High School  in the Rio Grande Valley — in the beautiful town of  Harlingen, Texas  — a place that helped shape the foundation of  Pastor Carl Flowers’  life. From there, Carl went on to play  college baseball , carrying the discipline, teamwork, and lessons from the field into every season that followed. Today, Carl serves as a  pastor in Edinburg, Texas , where...

Today we sit down with someone truly special, Dr. Nikkie Saldivar Hodgson, a proud product of Harlingen, Texas and Harlingen High School class of 83. With more than 30 years of experience, Nikkie has dedicated her life to helping people communicate better, think deeper, and build more meaningful connections. She’s a professor, researcher, consultant, and children’s book author, but was was known t...