A Cuban young man, known on TikTok as @lemay620, shared a deeply moving video on Wednesday that has touched the hearts of thousands. The footage captures the exact moment he is reunited with his mother and other family members on a Cuban street after three years apart.
"After 3 years without seeing my loved ones," the young man captioned the video, which depicts a scene overflowing with tears and heartfelt embraces that left no viewer untouched.
The nearly four-minute clip features hashtags such as #cubanosporelmundo, #cuba, and #familia. The creator encapsulated the emotion with a phrase that resonates with many in the Cuban diaspora: "it's like being born again."
Viral Trend of Heartfelt Reunions
This video is part of a viral trend on TikTok that has been gaining traction since 2025, showcasing Cuban emigrants returning to the island and capturing the poignant moments of reuniting with family. Despite its repetitive format, the emotional impact remains undiminished as emigrants surprise or announce their arrival, with cameras capturing cries, tears, and hugs at airports, streets, or home doorsteps.
In recent days, several similar reunions have been recorded. On Thursday, a young Cuban woman residing in Guyana returned to the island after three years, embracing her family amidst tears. She expressed her gratitude, writing, "Reunion with my family after 3 years. Thank you, my God, for so much."
On Tuesday, Glenda, known on TikTok as @glen_mc04, featured in another emotional reunion video, garnering over 27,700 views. Her brother greeted her barefoot at the airport after three years apart.
On Monday, a man from Holguín living in Miami returned after four years and three months, greeted by cries and inconsolable sobbing. Another individual, known as "Yali," came back after four years and two months, amassing nearly 710,000 views on the platform.
The Impact of Cuba's Migration Crisis
Each of these videos tells a story of forced separation, a consequence of the largest migratory exodus in Cuba's recent history. According to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), the island's population decreased from 11,181,595 inhabitants at the end of 2021 to just over 10 million by the end of 2023. This decline of more than a million people in just two years is largely attributed to emigration.
The head of ONEI acknowledged that over a million Cubans emigrated between 2022 and 2023, with nearly 800,000 of them aged between 15 and 59. Independent estimates suggest this number could be as high as 1.79 million during that period, reducing the resident population to just 8.62 million people.
This massive separation makes each return an extraordinary event, and the filmed reunions have become one of the most shared and discussed formats among the Cuban community on social media.
The song accompanying @lemay620's video echoes the feelings of those who stayed behind: "the old ones in the corner always say it doesn't matter what you have, for when you step off the station, you always return to your own."
Understanding the Cuban Diaspora and Emotional Reunions
What is the significance of these reunion videos on social media?
These reunion videos capture the emotional moment when Cuban emigrants return to the island to reunite with their families. They highlight personal stories of separation and the joy of return, resonating deeply with the Cuban diaspora.
How has emigration affected Cuba's population?
Emigration has significantly reduced Cuba's population, with over a million people leaving the island between 2022 and 2023 alone. This has led to a decrease in the resident population, impacting the demographic structure of the country.