Hilda turned 100 surrounded by family in Miami, but with a void that no celebration could fill: that of her twin sister Teresa, who remains in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba, and whom she has not seen in person for three years.
The story of the two sisters, shared this week by the Instagram account @mimaypipo.oficial, touched the hearts of thousands.
Hilda was born on September 1, 1926, and emigrated to Miami at the age of 97, leaving Teresa behind on the island. Since then, they are separated by the sea and the situation in Cuba, but not by their affection: Hilda calls her every day.
"I came here three years ago, and I haven’t seen her in person for three years," Hilda said in the video. "I call her every day to talk to her, and she says: 'You call me every day!'"
Teresa insists that she travel to visit her — "I want you to come here soon" — but Hilda dismisses it with a phrase that summarizes the reality of the island: "She's crazy for me to go, but I can't go. How could I, when things are so bad?"
They are identical twins—Hilda calls them "fraternal twins"—and their family history has an extraordinary coincidence: both married two brothers. Hilda married Hipólito Simón, and two years later, Teresa became engaged to Hipólito's brother. "Our children are almost siblings, because the fathers are brothers and the mothers are too," Hilda explained.
This is not the first time their story has reached the public. In September 2018, when the twins turned 92, they both lived together in Cuba and shared a dream: to celebrate a century of life together.
“We cannot live without each other!”, they declared then. That dream could not be fulfilled as they had imagined: Hilda's emigration at the age of 97 separated them geographically, though not emotionally.
Despite her century of life, Hilda amazes with her autonomy. She doesn't take medication—only something for her vision—she doesn’t suffer from diabetes or chronic illnesses, she walks on her own, bathes by herself, takes care of the plants on the balcony, washes dishes, and prepares coffee. "No, I don't take medicine, only for my vision. And I don’t have diabetes or anything," she declared.
His formula for longevity, expressed with the simplicity that defines him, is a lesson in life: “Live without thinking about anything and keep moving forward, live joyfully as you can, as best as you can, joyfully and content, and don’t think about anything [don’t worry]. Whatever is in front of you... just keep pushing forward, and you’ll see how happy life can be, you hear?”
The story of Hilda and Teresa is part of a broader phenomenon: that of Cuban families torn apart by emigration, where elderly individuals cross the ocean in search of a better future—or to reunite with their children—leaving behind those who cannot or do not want to leave.
The loneliness faced by many Cubans who emigrate to Miami at an older age is one of the topics documented by the account @mimaypipo.oficial.
The great desire of Hilda upon turning 100 is simple yet, for now, complicated to fulfill: to embrace her twin sister in Cuba again.
Filed under: