Seeing the people you love after a long time is a feeling that is hard to describe. It’s emotional, wonderful, and tear-jerking, all at once! All it takes is a few weeks to start getting that aching feeling in your chest for the people you love, but for one family, their reunion was delayed for 22 years. This is their incredible story.
Juan Carlos Rodriguez and his brother moved to the United States from Mexico over two decades ago.
Since the move, the two brothers have started families and had children themselves. Unfortunately, their parents weren’t able to come with them to the United States. As you can imagine, getting to one another for a visit is incredibly tough, especially when you live in two different countries.
For Juan Carlos, family is everything and it was extremely painful.
“Family is everything and more for us. Mexicans always try to protect our parents. It was instilled in us at a young age in Mexico.” – Humankind
Over the years, Juan Carlos and his brother have raised families without their parents around. Each Christmas was a reminder that their family wasn’t with them and the old familiar ache would return. Times were tough and getting their parents to the States just wasn’t an option.
Then, a breakthrough happened.
The circumstances of the families changed and they were able to get flights for the Rodriquez’s parents to the United States. The last time they saw their parents? 22 years. This was about to be one special reunion at the airport! Thankfully, the entire thing was recorded.
The viral video of Juan Carlos and his brother seeing their parents in the terminal is enough to bring a tear to your eye!
First, it starts off as all laughs as the two brothers wave and try to catch the attention of their parents. Soon, both brothers have a “slap” of realization as they recognize the significance of what is about to happen: two sides of a heart coming back together for the first time in decades.
Once the two brothers see their parents, the tears start flowing!
Amid sniffles and tears, they run forward and embrace their parents like they were kids themselves. In Juan Carlos’s own words:
“I was like a kid. In that moment what I wanted to do was hug my mom and hug my dad. They were happy. They couldn’t believe what was happening either.” – Humankind
That moment marked a two-week trip for the Rodriguez parents… it was going to go by so fast!
As we all know, the best moments in life are always the most fleeting. Thankfully, Arleth, Juan’s daughter, was able to film the reunion and post it online. People all over the country saw it, especially first-generation immigrants and the children of immigrants. This wasn’t just a video online, it was a reflection of their own lives.
“We all can come together because we have all been in the same situation. We are just grateful that we have our parents and that we all have a dream to all reunite with our parents.”
Make sure you watch the tear-jerking reunion below!
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