Dubai: This summer proved to be very memorable for a Filipino male nurse in UAE who was reunited with his mother, whom he has not personally seen and embraced for four years.
Cris Gudia, 34, who is originally from Isabela, a province in northern Philippines, had his 63-year old mother flown over 4,482 miles from their home town to meet him in Dubai. The reunion happened on September 7 and was made possible by the ‘Closer than Ever’ campaign launched by City Centre Deira in July.
In a video shared by City Centre Deira on Wednesday, the mall said the campaign was aimed at bringing people closer than ever, especially after the distance felt by many due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We asked customers who couldn’t make it home to send e-cards to their loved ones and one lucky winner was selected for a big surprise,” the added.
Gudia was the lucky entrant from more than 15,000 visitors who sent e-cards to family members across the world.
Mother-son reunion
In the heartfelt video, Gudia is first shown introducing himself. He says he has been living and working in Dubai for seven years and he hasn’t seen his mother for four years. The next scene shows him teary-eyed as he hears the good news that his mother is coming to Dubai for free, courtesy of City Centre Deira.
Then the video forwards to a scene with Gudia’s mother holding a bouquet of flowers and riding a limousine on her to the mall. The mother says: “It’s been my dream to come here in Dubai… I’m happy of course.”
Gudia is shown excitedly waiting for his mom. “I’m so excited,” he says, adding: “I feel shaking already. I can’t wait this moment to see my mom.”
Finally the happy reunion happens with the mother and son embracing each other after four long years.
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Importance of connection
In a statement sent to Gulf News, City Centre Deira, which is owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim, said: “[We] captured the moment in a heartfelt video to show how important connection is, especially after the distance felt by many due to the pandemic. As a mall that celebrates the community – the latest campaign underscores City Centre Deira’s efforts to build more meaningful connections no matter how near or far.”
