Portrait of a life journey dedicated to neurosurgery.

y name is Mauro Loyo-Varela, a proud Mexican born in the city of Veracruz on November 30th, 1941. The city Mborders the Gulf of Mexico, a strong and constant inspiration for me. I’m the first-born son of Maria Cristina VarelaMolinet and Mauro Loyo-Diaz. My family has been recognized for their successful and selfless work; my genealogy begins with my grandfather, Doctor Mauro Loyo-Sanchez, an outstanding 19thand 20th-century physician who trained in several prestigious universities in Europe. On his return to Latin America he began diagnosing the bubonic plague pandemic and introduced the first microscope in Latin America. He also contributed to the public health care system during the malaria outbreak by helping the general population and prominent politicians involved in the Mexican Revolution. In 1917 he became a lower-chamber congressman and later governor of the state of Veracruz. During his administration he promulgated the 1917 Constitution, which continues to this day. After he left the governor’s office, he returned to medical practice, mainly serving in public health, and worked as a doctor until his death at the age of 97. My father, Doctor Mauro Loyo-Diaz, followed his father’s medical and political career. He attended the Military Med-School in Mexico City. During the 1950s he was the