He gained political asylum four years after his arrival and became a citizen in 2005.
Rafael's childhood story often provided inspirational fire to Cruz's speeches, interviews, and debate performances later in life.
But some of Rafael's former comrades and friends disputed some of his descriptions of his role in the Cuban resistance.
In a 2015 New York Times article, Leonor Arestuche, a student leader in the 1950s, said that Rafel was a "ojalateros," or wishful thinker.
She said the term was used for "people wishing and praying that Batista would fall — but not doing much to act on it," according to the Times.
Rafael eventually went on to become a minister and called himself Pastor Cruz. While he's not affiliated with any church, he became a sought-out speaker and Tea Party celebrity.
Source: New York Times, The New Yorker