A Cuban mother living in the United States has touched the hearts of hundreds of TikTok users by sharing her thoughts on the difficulty of living far from her children, the sacrifices she makes to support them from a distance, and the criticism faced by those who send money and food to their families in Cuba.
The woman, known on social media as @la_narra_te_enseña, has been away from the island for seven years and still has not been able to return to be reunited with her three children: two daughters, one who is 17 and another who is about to turn 16, and a 12-year-old son, who remain in Cuba under the care of their grandmother.
In a video shared on TikTok, which surpassed 21,000 views in just a few hours, the Cuban woman recounted a conversation with her youngest son that made her reflect on the values she has tried to instill in her children despite the distance.
According to what she said, a few days ago she bought her son an iPhone 12 without him asking for it. However, she recently noticed that her son's phone had been turned off for about six days, although they were still communicating through the grandmother's phone. Worried, she decided to ask him what was happening.
The child's response left her deeply moved. "I'm sorry to tell you that I don't have any data," her son confessed, having preferred to go without a connection rather than ask her for money for a top-up.
The mother quickly resolved the problem, but she took the opportunity to remind the little one that he shouldn’t feel ashamed to ask for help.
"Why do you feel embarrassed with me, honey, when I am your mother and I'm here for that? I left Cuba for this, my love," she replied.
The anecdote led to a reflection on remittances and the criticism that some emigrated Cubans face for continuing to send resources to the island. For this mother, helping her family is not a political matter, but rather a responsibility and a demonstration of love.
"The food box that I send does not go to Díaz-Canel's house; it goes to my parents' house to feed my children. The money that I send does not go to Díaz-Canel's account; it goes to my mother's account," he stated.
The Cuban woman also questioned those who, after emigrating and promising to help their families, stop doing so by using political arguments as justification.
"As long as I am in this country, I will fight for my own, for what I set out to fight for," he asserted, making his stance on the financial support he provides to his loved ones clear.
During her reflection, the woman also mentioned the case of Amanda Pérez, the 18-year-old girl who disappeared in Bayamo and was found alive on November 3.
Around that case, unconfirmed versions circulated regarding an alleged scheme to obtain money from his father, who resides abroad. The Cuban mother used what happened to reflect on the importance of educating children in values and preventing material needs from leading them to make wrong decisions.
In that regard, he recalled that one of his daughters had asked him for an electric bicycle as a birthday gift, a request to which he responded with humor and a reference to the case of the young woman from Bayamo.
"Forget about that girl who never cared for you. Look at what just happened: they just kidnapped a young woman for a motorcycle," he said, repeating what he had told his daughter, although that version of events has not been confirmed.
His testimony reflects a reality experienced by numerous Cuban families, separated for years due to emigration. As noted in a previous article from CiberCuba about family separation, the departure of millions of people from the island has left parents and children trying to maintain their connections through calls, messages, and financial support.
The protagonist of the video, who also mentioned her bypass procedure and weight loss, concluded her speech with some particularly emotional words addressed to her three children.
"The only thing I want in life for you to give me is to take care of yourselves. There is no greater gift you can give me than to look after your well-being," he expressed.
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