Born into a harsh Soviet world shaped by poverty, violence, and survival, Alex Aspen's life began with a fight against death itself. Diagnosed with sepsis as an infant after already losing one child, his family raced through the frozen northern roads of Russia in a desperate attempt to save his life. What followed was a childhood divided between love and pain. Raised in Riga by the grandparents who became his true family, Alex grew up searching for identity and belonging while navigating abuse, fear, loss, and the brutal realities of life behind the Iron Curtain. From dangerous streets and broken homes to storms at sea and the struggle to build a new life in America, this memoir tells the raw and unfiltered story of survival against overwhelming odds. Born as a Joke is not a story about perfection. It is a story about endurance. Honest, emotional, and deeply human, this memoir is a powerful journey through hardship, resilience, immigration, family, and the relentless fight to keep moving forward - no matter how many times life tries to break you.