Miguel, a Portuguese journalist and storyteller from Lisbon, had eye cancer as a child. Since then, he’s lived with a prosthetic eye—a physical reality that shaped not just how he sees the world, but how the world sees him, and most importantly, how he sees himself.

In this tender and vulnerable conversation, Miguel takes us through the internal emotional landscape of growing up with a disability. He shares the insecurity, the self-consciousness, and the quiet burden of carrying something you can’t easily explain to others. But he also shares something unexpected: the funny, connecting, and deeply human moments that happened because of his prosthetic eye.

From his early years navigating a world that wasn’t always kind, to his career path from journalism to education, and eventually to the storytelling stage—Miguel’s journey is one of slowly learning to embrace what he once tried to hide.Miguel’s story is a beautiful reminder that our differences—the things we spend so much energy trying to conceal—are often the very things that connect us most deeply to others. His vulnerability on stage wasn’t just an act of courage; it was an act of freedom.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt “other,” who’s carried a story in silence, or who’s wondered what might happen if they finally let the world see all of who they are.

Miguel grew up in the Lisbon suburbs with a love for writing, but he’s recently discovered the joys of storytelling - even though he says it terrifies him that you can’t edit a live joke.Follow us on Instagram: Storytelling Lisboa & What Lingers Pod

Hosted by Cristian Figueroa & Liz Melchor

Edited by Liz Melchor

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