Meet the Brazilian-Croatian doctor at the New England Patriots

Enzo Radaic Pastore from Sao Paulo, Brazil, whose ancestors are from Split and Korčula, sharing
his family story in Boston (Photo: Private album)

A day after the FIFA World Cup draw, the Boston Croatian community, still feeling a slight disappointment that Croatia would not be playing in Boston early on, received a special visitor who brought football, Croatian heritage, and even the New England Patriots together in one unexpected story.

That visitor was Dr. Enzo Radaic Pastore, an athlete and sports medicine doctor from São Paulo, currently in Boston on an exchange program with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

In addition to his work within these institutions, Dr. Radaic Pastore is also assisting in the New England Patriots’ operating room, offering the community a rare connection between Croatian roots and one of America’s most iconic sports teams.

Andrea Katić Bruno, educational director, Croatian School of Boston, and Mirena Bagur, president,
New England Friends of Croatia welcome a Brazilian Croatian to the Boston Croatian community (Photo: Private album)

Coffee, Community, and Croatian Pride

Dr. Radaic Pastore was welcomed as part of the Boston Coffee Chat Series, a joint initiative of New England Friends of Croatia and the Croatian School of Boston.

These organizations collaborate to promote Croatian-American cultural exchange, education, and community building.

Educational Director Andrea Katić Bruno opened the event by engaging local children in a conversation about the many ways they celebrate Croatia, especially through years of cheering passionately for the Croatian national football team.

Andrea Katić Bruno, Croatian School of Boston, engages children in an intro about Croatia and the visitor (Photo: Private album)

She then introduced Dr. Radaic Pastore, whose own family story resonated deeply with the audience.

A Brazilian Family with Croatian Heart

Enzo recounted his family history, tracing their Croatian roots to Blato, Korčula, and Split, where his great-grandparents emigrated from before settling in São Paulo.

Over the generations, the family preserved Croatian traditions, maintaining a strong connection to their heritage while also embracing Brazilian culture.

Sports and medicine run throughout the family, with several members working as physicians. Yet no matter how global or busy their lives become, one ritual always unites them: during any match between Brazil and Croatia, the entire household proudly wears both Croatian and Brazilian colors.

Enzo as a child, and his Mom, Dr. Patricia Radaic, an Oral Surgeon, wearing Croatian and Brazilian
shirts while watching Brazil vs. Croatia in 2014 at the FIFA World Cup (Photo: Private album)

When asked which team the family supports when the two nations play each other, Enzo didn’t hesitate:

“We enjoy the game and are happy no matter what. With both the Brazilian heart and the Croatian tradition, for us it is a win-win situation.”

Enzo at 15, and his father, Dr. Gabriel Pastore, in an operating room in the Oswaldo Cruz hospital where Enzo came to watch a surgery (Photo: Private album)

From São Paulo to the Patriots

Conversation soon shifted from Enzo’s heritage to his current work in Boston. While he has yet to be on the sidelines during a Patriots game, he expressed enthusiasm for the professional environment and the opportunity to observe elite sports medicine firsthand.

In a delightful coincidence, he discovered that one of the doctors he is working with at the Patriots Place Sports Medicine Clinic is the same surgeon who recently performed knee surgery for a parent from the Croatian School of Boston, an unexpected connection that brought the community even closer.

Enzo proudly discussing his role at MGH/Harvard Medical School and New England Patriots (Photo: Private album)

To conclude the gathering, Enzo offered a gesture blending his two worlds: a beloved Brazilian symbol, reimagined in Croatian red, white, and blue.

Supporting Croatian Connections in Boston

New England Friends of Croatia and the Croatian School of Boston, soon celebrating 35 and 20 years of operation respectively, continue to welcome visitors, performers, scholars, and athletes with ties to Croatia.

Their Boston Coffee Chat Series offers a platform for cultural exchange and community storytelling.

Anyone visiting Boston for study, performance, sports, or other professional engagements is invited to connect with the organizations at [email protected] to explore opportunities for participation.