A stunned son tried his best to fight back tears when he was surprised by his mom and grandma, whom he had not seen in nearly five years.
Kevin Chiuchiolo, 30, from Orlando, Florida, is extremely close to his mom, Yovana, 48, who lives in Texas, and grandma, Carmen, 64, who lives in the family’s native Puerto Rico.
Due to a combination of circumstances – losing jobs, COVID, cars, and providing for a family of four – Kevin was unable to help his mom and grandma in almost half a decade, which he found extremely tough.
Kevin and his wife, Denise, came through “broken homes,” Denise said, as the pair met in New York City, where Kevin and Yovana previously lived, in 2012.
Kevin and Denise became young parents, with Denise giving birth when she was just 17 before welcoming another child in 2014.
Denise said raising kids in the Bronx was tough, so the pair moved to Florida, hoping to have a better life for their children.
Since the move, money has been tight – but when Denise received a call from Yovana to say that she and her mom had saved a little money to visit Kevin, Denise knew she had to plan a big surprise.
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The meeting would be the first time Kevin’s kids and grandma had all been together, too, and so, on December 24, 2023, Denise took her children to a nearby airport to pick up a mystery “friend.”
Though the kids were initially confused, once they met their grandma and great-grandma, they beamed joyfully, saying they couldn’t wait to surprise their dad.
On returning from the airport, Denise suggested lunching at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
As Kevin ran across the grass, his excitable children ran to meet their dad, encouraging him to see what was around the corner.
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There, Kevin set eyes on his mom, and his jaw immediately dropped as he ran in for a massive hug with Yovana, lifting her off the ground.
Nicole said: “He walked around the corner and was so shocked.
“He started crying, and I started crying.
“Seeing the look on his face meant everything to me because life is short, and you never know when you can see your family, especially the ones who live far away.
“Watching my husband break down with happy emotion was bittersweet.
“I felt guilty I couldn’t make this happen sooner, and just witnessing him reuniting with his mom was heartfelt.
“I admired his smile the entire night – he doesn’t know that, but I watched as I read his enjoyment on his face.”