Family Roots: McHale reconnects with Cuban heritage

Christina McHale reconnected with her Cuban background last October when she journeyed to her grandmother's homeland, accompanied also by her older sister Lauren.

A journey to Cuba wouldn't be complete without taking note of the vintage vehicles.

And enjoying a night out in Havana.

It was McHale's grandmother's first time back in Cuba in 54 years. McHale's mother Margarita was born in Cuba, and fled Fidel Castro's Communist regime, leaving everything she knew behind. She would rely on a family sponsorship program to eventually bring her to America.

“I’ve always been very motivated, starting from when I was younger, and sometimes I wonder if it came from that part of my family’s history,” Christina McHale said. “I have been inspired by them.”

McHale is currently the seventh-highest ranked American at No. 45.