Dr. Carlos Manuel Parrado

Dr. Carlos Manuel Parrado, a cherished husband, father, and respected physician, passed away on April 3, 2024, in Columbus, Georgia.
A funeral mass will be held 11:00 AM Friday, April 12, 2024 at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2000 Kay Cir, Columbus, GA 31907. A rosary service will be held 6:30 PM Thursday, April 11, 2024 at St. Anne Catholic Church in the Chapel according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory.
Carlos was born on June 14, 1956, in Camagüey, Cuba to Bertha Marín and Manuel Parrado. At age 13, while his father was imprisoned by the communist regime, Carlos escaped from Cuba alone to join and be raised by his maternal aunt and uncle, Olga and Miguel Herranz in New Jersey. They would move to Puerto Rico for business, and Carlos spent his adolescence in Ponce where he attended Colegio Catolico Ponceno de Varones, a boy's high school. After high school he attended The Citadel, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. While at The Citadel, the late Senator Strom Thurmond learned of his story and intervened to negotiate the release of his father from prison and secured political asylum for the family to leave Cuba and join their son in the United States in 1979.
Forever grateful for the opportunities and freedoms he had in this country, Carlos dedicated his life to the service of others. After graduating from The Citadel in 1979, he attended the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine, where he received his Doctor of Medicine. Carlos commissioned into the United States Army beginning a career that took him all over the world. As a flight surgeon and physician, he provided exceptional care to his fellow soldiers. From special missions in the Amazon and the US embassies in Latin America to military exercises in South Korea and Egypt, Carlos went wherever his country needed him. Among his proudest achievements included earning the position of Chief of Medicine in Gorgas Hospital in Panama. From Panama, he was stationed at Fort Benning (Moore). In 2003, he deployed with the 101st Airborne Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He would constantly work on improving ways to address the needs of his patients. He became certified as a clinical hypnotherapist with the National Association of Clinical Hypnosis and a medical acupuncturist, eventually being selected as the president of the Georgia Board of Medical Acupuncture. Retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, his 22-year military career was marked by dedication and valor.
After retiring from the military, Carlos's commitment to care for military families continued at Martin Army Community Hospital as a civilian before his medical journey led him to Roosevelt Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital. His leadership and expertise culminated in his role as the medical director of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Long Term Acute Care Hospital. Additionally, he served his community as a primary care physician at Acute Care Emergence, touching countless lives with his skill and compassion. For 12 years, he and wife, Cristina, shared as a team in their passion for healing with his skills in acupuncture and both their skills in clinical hypnotherapy in her clinic, Wellness Integrative Paths, LLC. Always eager to continue learning and improving the care he provided to others, he sought out and received a Master's of Science in Health Sciences, Integrative Medicine at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Carlos was a man of many interests and talents. He enjoyed dancing and judo. Carlos also had a profound love of animals, especially the parrots, toucans, turtles, iguana, dogs, and cats he cared for as pets over the years. His sense of humor was infectious, and his intelligence shone through in every aspect of his life, while remaining most humble and simple in his demeanor. When his busy work schedule allowed, he enjoyed volunteering and assisting with Boy Scouts, his sons' wrestling teams, and with the Knights of Columbus.
Of all the accomplishments and successes, he has had in life, Carlos was most proud of and deeply devoted to his family. He leaves behind: his wife of 34 years, Cristina Pena, and their sons, Alan, Miguel, and Giancarlo, each following their father's legacy as Citadel Alumni. In addition, his sister, Lourdes, his beloved aunt, Estrella, and countless uncles, aunts, and cousins survive him. Carlos was a guiding light in their lives, a man of deep faith in God. His unique sense of humor, his legacy of love, dedication, and service will continue to inspire them, his friends, colleagues, students, patients, and anyone whose life was touched by him.
In lieu of flowers donations may be sent in his memory to Knights of Columbus Bishop Gross – Council 1019, ATTN: GK Luis Rivera, Post Office Box 12517, Columbus, GA 31917.
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