Two years apart, but the connection remains intact. A Cuban who emigrated to the United States experienced the most awaited moment of her life: reuniting with her eldest daughter at José Martí International Airport. The moment, captured on video and shared on social media, became a symbol of the sacrifices and emotions faced by thousands of families separated by migration.
"My heart wanted to explode with happiness when I felt my daughter in my arms and was able to kiss her, hold her, and cuddle her again. Only mothers who are in this situation know the pain we carry and how strong we have to be," wrote @elianni9505 on TikTok, where she documented the emotional reunion with her older daughter after two years of separation, which has touched the hearts of thousands of users.
"Two years away from you felt like an eternity, my beautiful girl. Thank God, I know it's not over, but soon I will have you here with me," he added in the text of the reunion video.
The strength of the embrace with her daughter, the mix of tears and smiles, and the words of gratitude to God reflect the struggle this mother has faced. "Thanks to God, I am allowed to see her and be present, although not in the way I would like. But His timing is perfect, and I trust that it will soon be definitive," she commented with faith.
In a second post, the mother expressed even more about what this reunion meant to her. “Only someone who has gone through this can truly understand the feelings involved. Honestly, I can't put it into words… all I can say is: Thank you, God, because even though I complain and feel desperate, only you know how much I long to have my little girl with me here. You have blessed me, and thanks to you, I have the opportunity to go see her until I can have her with me,” she shared, making it clear that the separation has not ended and that she continues to fight for a definitive reunification.
From the beginning of the journey, the mother displayed the emotion she felt in her heart. “My heart wanted to burst out of my chest. I longed so much for this moment, to be able to hug my Kerencita again,” she wrote in a previous post where she shared pictures of her flight to Cuba with her partner and their youngest baby.
The video sparked an avalanche of reactions among those who identified with this story or simply couldn't hold back their tears. “The pain that children suppress is immense; I also have mine far away”; “What a powerful embrace; I don’t have children, but I feel the same emptiness with my parents in Cuba”; “I left my daughter when she was five, now she is eight, and I don’t know when I’ll be back”; these were some of the comments that flooded the post.
Others focused on the emotion of the moment: “That ‘mami’ resonated in the soul. My respect to all the mothers who have had to separate from their children”; “I have cried as if it were me, what joy for you. Soon the distance will be over”; “God willing, may you have them together forever. No child should go through this.”
More than one person shared personal experiences that echoed this forced separation due to circumstances: “I took two years and nine months to hug my son again. I know what it feels like”; “I’ve been away from my little girl for three years, this video gave me hope”; “God knows how much we need to reunite with our loved ones. These stories break us and strengthen us at the same time.”
The embrace of this mother and her daughter is more than an intimate moment; it reflects a sacrifice that many Cubans know all too well. From across the distance, mothers, fathers, children, and grandparents live with the dream of reunion. Although lost time never returns, the hope for a future together remains the driving force for those who fight against the circumstances to once again hold their loved ones close.
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