Homeless man finds his two daughters after 24 years, thanks to the help of two kind police officers (+ VIDEO)
In a family, fundamental bonds are established for each of us: being aware of having someone by your side despite the ups and downs of life is a security that is as important as it is underestimated. How often do we take the closeness of our loved ones for granted, thinking that nothing will ever separate us from them. How can you define a life without any kind of bond? "Empty", or at least that's how Jose Lopez, 61, replied, describing the last 24 years of his life. For almost a quarter of a century, in fact, the man lived as a homeless person, far from his family.
via CBSNews
The man from New Jersey (USA) tried for years to be reunited with his family without success; but one day he met police officers Josue Robles and Sean Pfeifer of NJ Transit, who took his story to heart and mobilized themselves to ensure that Jose and his daughters, Kristy and Angela Viviani, were reunited. Seeing Jose alone and sad, the officers approached him and asked if he needed help.
Lopez said he was trying to get to Long Beach and that he was looking for his family, but he didn't remember their phone number, adding that he was homeless. So the officers set out to help him, contacting more than two dozen people. "We were very lucky that Mr. Lopez had a family in New Jersey," said Pfeifer, who - in addition to tracing the homeless family by phone - also got him a haircut and new clothes for the reunion.
For Kristy and Angela Viviani it was overwhelming to see their father again. Angela couldn't describe her emotions, but she burst into tears. Kristy said she was terrified because she didn't know what to expect: "I was getting used to the idea of never seeing him again," the young woman said.
Angela and her father said the same thing when they finally hugged again: "I thought I would never see you again". Lopez said meeting his daughters was very emotional: "It's been an empty life without them for the past 20 years," he said, crying. "I hated feeling like this. It's not a way a person should feel."
Kristy and Angela Viviani grew up in Belmar and were respectively 8 and 1 year old when their parents separated. Lopez's visits, at first regular, faded over time, until the man moved to Miami. The sisters didn't hear from him again until Kristy decided to look for him at the age of 30. Lopez had had health problems but re-established the relationship with his daughters, also get to meet his grandchildren by telephone. Then he suffered a stroke that made him forget their contact information. Lost and desperate, Lopez ended up homeless.
This was until Angela Viviani received the call from officer Pfeifer: at first the woman had thought of a scam, but then she learned that her sister had received a similar message. Both were shocked. At the meeting, Lopez met his grandchildren.
The offer put Lopez in touch with the PATH program run by the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris. He was assigned a social worker who helped him find accommodation. Lopez finally has a better life ahead of him now that he's back with his family. He has spent recent weeks visiting family and friends, organizing barbecues and reunions.
"We can try to make up for lost time. It seems like a dream to me," said Kristy. "Officer Pfeifer is a true angel," said Angela Viviani. The officer was also impressed by the family: "This will be by far the most unforgettable moment of my career," she commented.
