A Cuban woman living abroad was moved to tears upon receiving a deeply personal item from her father—a guayabera shirt that belonged to her grandfather, who had passed away just a month earlier. The shirt still carried his familiar scent. Yanela, a TikToker known on the platform as @yane_cubana, shared a 34-second video on February 28, showcasing the mementos her father brought back from Cuba after his visit. It was the last item that completely overwhelmed her. "Of all the things my dad brought me from Cuba, the last one turned my world upside down," she wrote in the video description.
With a voice trembling with emotion, Yanela uttered a single poignant phrase to her grandfather: "Feeling you so far away, from here to the heavens." Her words encapsulate the profound sorrow experienced by those who lose a relative in Cuba without the chance to say goodbye, attend a funeral, or be there in person.
The video quickly garnered over 142,600 views, 11,200 likes, and 209 comments, underscoring the shared experience of many Cubans in the diaspora. Yanela's use of hashtags like #grandfather, #cuba, and #imissyougrandpa speaks directly to a community collectively navigating grief from afar.
The Emotional Power of Keepsakes
The scene depicted in Yanela's video is becoming increasingly common among Cuban families separated by the significant exodus of recent years. When a family member visits the island and returns abroad, they often bring back photos, personal belongings, and cherished items that serve as emotional bridges between two worlds. These objects hold immense symbolic value, especially when the loved one they belonged to is no longer alive.
TikTok has become a platform where the Cuban diaspora collectively processes these losses. In January, a mother in Cuba broke down in tears upon receiving a surprise package from her daughter abroad, which included a baby outfit announcing she would become a grandmother. In July 2025, a young girl cried out "Daddy!" through tears upon reuniting with her father after three and a half years apart. In September 2024, a grandmother was moved to tears when she received a fan sent by her granddaughter from Houston. The unifying element in all these cases is the genuine emotion in response to a separation that is not chosen, but rather imposed.
"Only those who have emigrated know the pain of these absences," commented a user on a similar video of a Cuban family reunion. Yanela's grandfather's guayabera, with its lingering scent, perhaps best captures the heartache of losing someone in Cuba while being miles away.
Understanding the Cuban Diaspora's Grief
Why do personal items from Cuba hold so much emotional value for those living abroad?
Personal items from Cuba serve as tangible connections to loved ones and cherished memories, helping those in the diaspora feel closer to their roots and family members they cannot physically be with.
How does TikTok help the Cuban diaspora cope with loss?
TikTok provides a platform for sharing experiences and emotions, allowing users in the Cuban diaspora to connect with others who understand their grief and support each other through shared stories.