North Texas families hug relatives from Mexico at DFW Airport after 20-plus years

For some North Texas families, a trip to DFW International Airport ended a wait that had lasted decades. Families gathered at the arrivals doors to welcome elderly relatives from Mexico. For some, it was the first time in 20 to 30 years that they had seen their mothers, grandmothers and other loved ones.

Erika Hubka was there waiting for her aunt. "There's a lot of emotions because my cousin gets to see his mom after 23 years," she told NBC 5. Vanessa Calixto was waiting for her grandmother and her mother-in-law. "My husband hasn't seen his mother in 20 years," she said. Phone calls and video chats had kept the families in touch, but Calixto said nothing could stand in for being together. "There's nothing like a hug," she said.

The reunions took months of work. They were made possible by Lazos de Oro, a group led by director Jaime Damian, which went through an 18-month visa application process to bring the families together. "It has been a mission," Damian said. The Dallas Morning News has reported that Damian founded the organization and that it helps older adults in Mexico through the visa process so they can visit their children in the U.S. The Morning News also reported that groups of seniors travel from Mexico City to Dallas about twice a year.

As relatives came through the doors, years apart gave way to tears, laughter and long embraces. Damian has watched these reunions for seven years, and he said they still move him. "Sometimes tears come out of your eyes, and that's okay," he said. "It's a lot of joy."

This story is based on original reporting by Tahera Rahman of NBC 5 DFW, with additional background from The Dallas Morning News.