Carlos Tarajano was a name only a few knew until his brief marriage to model and television personality, Eva Longoria. However, his life was a complicated tale of privilege, ambition, and tragedy. Carlos was raised in a privileged Cuban family but suffered health struggles that would ultimately cost him his life.
Background
Carlos Tarajano was born in 1971 to an influential Cuban family that immigrated to the United States. A very wealthy family raised Carlos in an environment of luxury and opportunity. He attended private schools and pursued a career in finance and business. By his late twenties, he was already a successful bank executive living the high life.
Despite this early achievement, it appeared that success would not last long in Carlos’s life. His 2002 marriage to Eva Longoria put him in the public eye, but their marriage short-lived and they divorced within a couple of years. The couple dissolved their marriage amid health issues that both parties found overwhelming, as Carlos was diagnosed with a serious heart condition shortly after they married.
Relationship with Eva Longoria
Carlos Tarajano fell in love with then-rising star Eva Longoria. Their romance led to their 2002 marriage, but shortly after their wedding, Carlos was diagnosed with a fatal heart condition. This medical diagnosis tested their young marriage. Eva, who was at the cusp of her Hollywood career, was thrust into a situation she could not have predicted, dealing with Carlos’ health issues just as she was beginning to get famous.
The couple married for two years before splitting in 2004. Later, Eva Longoria said in interviews that the end of their marriage had much to do with the weight of Carlos’s illness and the emotional toll it took on them.
Struggles with Health and Unexpected Death
Carlos had a severe heart condition. His heart was functioning way below normal and he needed constant medical care. Even doctors could not save his health. By the mid-2000s, his condition had much deteriorated, and the once-successful and vivacious Carlos was fighting for his life.
In 2006, two years after Divorcing Longoria, Carlos Tarajano died at the age of 35. His death ended a life that seemed so promising. It was a sad loss to those who knew Carlos personally: He was a charming man full of wit and charm.
Legacy and Reflection
Although Carlos Tarajano lived a relatively short life and had major personal struggles, his story is one of resilience, fragility of life, and the unpredictable turns it can take. His illness and the strain it placed on his relationships offer a window onto the struggles people face with chronic, life threatening health conditions.
While he is often remembered in the media as Eva Longoria’s first husband, his closest friends knew him as a thoughtful, ambitious man who rose above the odds. He life, though marked bytragedy, is a reminder that success, love, and wealth do not make us immune to life’s hard trials.
