In 1967, at the age of fourteen, Estefan and his father Emilio Sr. fled Cuba for Spain to escape the Castro regime. The Estefan family planned to reunite in the United States and, as a result, Carmen chose to remain behind because she did not want to abandon her parents. In addition, Estefan's older brother José (b. 1945) was drafted in the military and could not leave Cuba until 1980. For about a year, Estefan and his father lived an impoverished life in Spain before relocating permanently in Miami, Florida. Although circumstances were far better in Miami, Estefan and Emilio Sr. still struggled as they lived in a cramped house with Estefan's aunt and 8 cousins. Estefan did not reunite with his mother until 1971 when she was finally able to immigrate to the United States.