For some North Texas families, a trip to DFW International Airport marked the end of a decades-long wait.
Families gathered to welcome elderly loved ones from Mexico. Some saw their mothers, grandmothers and other relatives for the first time in 20 to 30 years.
“There’s a lot of emotions because my cousin gets to see his mom after 23 years,” Erika Hubka, who was waiting for her aunt, said.
For months, the families worked toward the reunions.
“My husband hasn’t seen his mother in 20 years,” Vanessa Calixto, who was waiting for her grandmother and mother-in-law, said.
Phone calls and video chats helped families stay connected, but Calixto said it was no replacement for being together in person.
“They always speak over the phone, there are video calls, but there’s nothing like a hug. That you miss from your mother,” she said.
As relatives walked through the doors at DFW Airport, years of separation gave way to tears, laughter and long-awaited embraces.
Lazos De Oro, led by director Jaime Damian, helped make the reunions possible. The group went through an 18-month visa application process to bring the families together.
“It has been a mission,” Damian said.
After seven years of witnessing reunions, Damian said the emotions still get to him.
“Sometimes tears come out of your eyes, and that’s okay,” he said. “It’s a lot of joy.”
For the families waiting at DFW Airport, decades of distance finally ended in an embrace.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
