Cuban woman in the U.S. seeks her aunt: "She left Cuba in the 80s and supposedly arrived in Miami"

A Cuban woman in the United States, identified on social media as @maivel90, released an emotional video on TikTok and Instagram asking for help to find her aunt, Normairis Rodríguez del Toro, who has been missing for over four decades after emigrating from Cuba to the United States.

“She is my aunt, she left Cuba around the 1980s and supposedly arrived in Miami, but my family never heard from her again. She left Cuba before I was born. Her name, or rather, was Normairis Rodríguez del Toro, born on 05/14/1951 in Cuba,” she shared in the video alongside an old family photograph.

I am not making this video for money, nor for any strange interest; I live here in the United States. This is just a genuine question from my mom, wanting to know what has become of her sister. If she is still alive, she must be around 74 years old, so if you ever knew or have heard of any Normairis Rodríguez del Toro, or if she may have changed her name after getting married, please message me privately. Maybe social media can achieve what my family couldn't in over 40 years,” he added.

"If this video reaches the right person, it will have been worth it, so if you have any doubts about a relative or are trying to find someone in your family whom you lost touch with a long time ago and feel identified, please like, share it, and comment if you have ever met someone with this name," he concluded.

In the comments on the video on TikTok, Maivel provided more details about her search: “I lived in Guanabo before leaving Cuba.” She explained that “my mom hasn’t heard from her in over 40 years, and my grandmother passed away without knowing.” She also mentioned that her mother, who is 69, “just wants to know if she’s still alive, if she’s okay, or what happened to her life.”

The video has generated hundreds of reactions and messages of support. Many users shared similar experiences or practical recommendations for locating missing persons. "Girl, I found friends through Facebook," wrote one woman. Another person recounted, "There's a page on Facebook called 'Cubans Around the World' and they help you search. My mom had a friend who came in '80 and was never heard from again. I wrote to them and they found her."

A widely shared comment explained: "Look, there is a group on Facebook called 'Buscando familia'. I found my father through that page after 40 years; he came during the Mariel Boatlift, and they helped me locate him, and thank God I'm with my father today." In response to that suggestion, Maivel replied: "The group is called 'Buscando familia', I'm going to look for it," and added: "I'm going to write to the page, thank you for the recommendation."

Some provided specific guidelines for conducting official searches, including guides with links to the immigration records of USCIS, the National Archives (NARA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which outline the steps to request information about individuals who emigrated during the 1980s.

Others offered hope: "I already shared it, God willing they'll reunite," "I’m sharing this, God willing you can hear from her or her descendants, blessings," "I hope you find her, good luck."

A user shared a similar story: “This story is just like my mom's. We came here to the United States searching for her missing sister, and we never heard from her again. In the end, we found her; she was living a happy life, content with her children and family, and the thing is, she never remembered her family in Cuba, she was never interested.” Maivel replied: “If that happens, I'm not interested, I’m only doing this so my mom knows what happened to her life, and if she is well and happy, that would be ideal; everyone makes their own choices, if she forgot, it was her decision.”

There were also messages that reflected the emotional toll of the situation. "Wow, never knowing about such a close relative, how difficult," wrote a user. Others were more skeptical: "If she didn’t want anyone to know about her for 40 years, now even less so, sad but true." Maivel responded: "I know, my only reason is that my mom wants to know."

Numerous participants expressed hope that social media will facilitate a reunion. “We are going to share to find results,” wrote one woman. Others noted the generational connection: “She probably left during the Mariel, which happened in 1980. God willing, you will find her.”

For now, Maivel keeps alive the hope that her message on social media will achieve what her family could not in over four decades: to obtain a sign of life or an answer about the fate of her aunt, who would currently be 74 years old.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Search for Missing Cuban Relatives in the U.S.