Mahily, a Cuban resident in the United States undergoing cancer treatment, shared an emotional video on TikTok in which she expresses the mixed feelings she experienced upon learning that her landlord traveled to Cuba and visited her mother, something she cannot do while receiving medical care.
"Today I felt something a bit sad. A few days ago, the owner of my rental went to Cuba and visited my mom. I felt a pang of emotion because he was able to see her, to talk with her, and I can only do that through a video call," said Mahily, identified on the platform as @mahily2000.
The young woman acknowledged the contradiction she faces daily: she is grateful to receive medical treatment in the United States, but the price is the distance from her family on the island.
"I'm very grateful to be in this country and to receive all the medical treatments I have, but damn, how one misses their mom; nobody understands how painful it is to need a mother's hug, to ask for her advice, to talk to her at night," she expressed with a shaky voice.
Mahily was straightforward in pointing out the reason for her situation: "It's hard, the life of an emigrant is difficult because you miss your loved ones and it's what forces us to leave. It's not that one wants to go."
Despite the pain, he found relief in knowing that someone was able to see his mother in good condition.
"After all, I’m glad to know that someone saw her and that they saw her well, that she is still breathing. I just hope to be able to talk, hug her one day, and tell her about my whole journey and feel her close," she said.
The video concluded with a message of collective hope: "We must take a deep breath and believe that one day our Cuba will be free, and we will be able to see our parents, our loved ones, our brothers."
The testimony resonated deeply within the Cuban emigrant community, which shared similarly heart-wrenching stories in the comments.
A follower wrote: "I lost my loved ones full of life, my father in 2023 and my mother in 2024, the only daughter and I couldn't say my final goodbye, still without residency, and it pains my soul."
Another user recounted that she spent ten years unable to enter Cuba: "The year I was finally allowed to go, they both passed away just a month apart. It's something I'll never get over."
A third follower offered perspective from her own pain: "You have her far away but alive and healthy. I had mine by my side, and cancer took her away three months ago. God willing, you'll soon be able to hug your mom."
The case of Mahily reflects the drama of Cuban mothers separated by migration, a reality that affects millions of families following the largest exodus in the history of the island.
Between 2021 and 2024, approximately 1.79 million Cubans left Cuba, driven by the economic crisis, shortages, and political repression, leaving virtually every family with at least one member abroad.
The video by Mahily concluded with a dedication to all those who share her situation: "This video is for all those people who have their family members far away and for some reason cannot see them. At some point, we will make it happen, I’m sure of it."
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