32|Finding Tico: Jay Barbanel's Story of Adoption From Costa Rica & Reuniting With Biological Family

Intrepid Storytelling · Apr 27, 2026 · 1h 8m

What happens when your "rock," your protector, and your only link to your biological past suddenly turns into your greatest threat? At just 6 years old, Jay Barbanel was a survivor. Adopted from a high-stakes environment in Costa Rica alongside his older brother, Jay thought they had finally found safety in the U.S. and Europe. But while Jay adapted and thrived, his brother was harboring a dark, boiling resentment, one that ended in a terrifying attempt on Jay’s life and a permanent separation that would haunt him for three decades. In this raw and profoundly moving episode, Jay shares his…