Chicago man reunites with his family after nearly 40 years

A Chicago man whose relatives had t heard from him in nearly four decades has been reunited with family members, thanks to a nursing home administrator who turned to social media after 77-year-old man entered home with kwn next of kin.Antonio Talavera reunited with his long-lost bror outside a nursing home in Humboldt Park neighborhood two weeks ago, Chicago Tribune reported.

Antonio entered Center Home for Hispanic Elderly in Chicago in June after being hospitalized from a fall and hampered by dementia. Nursing home records indicated Antonio had been living near 47th Street and Ashland Avenue with a friend and co-worker from a liquor store.

assistant administrator at nursing home, Sonia Alonso, remembered a woman with last name Talavera used to work at home years ago. He contacted her through Facebook and found that Antonio had been separated from his family for nearly 40 years. y thought he was dead.According to his niece, Carmen Lebron-Talavera, Manuel’s daughter, family does t kw how or why Antonio got separated.

After getting in contact with woman through her social media, Alonso asked Antonio if he had a bror named Manuel.“Is his nickname Neco?” she asked, and immediately, with a look of recognition crossed his face, Antonio began to cry.Alonso set up a meeting; an emotional encounter for both Antonio and his bror, Manuel.

Because his speech is limited, Antonio could t explain why he had lost touch. family of 14 siblings had come to Chicago area from Puerto Rico decades ago.“ whole family was shocked,” Lebron-Talavera said of finding Antonio. “We’re ecstatic about it.” She said hardest part was t being able to hug each or in precaution of coronavirus.

During a second meeting last week, Alonso wheeled Antonio outside to see his bror; both of m frequently breaking out into tears as or family members who came by began crying as well.“Tio, llore,” his niece, Lebron-Talavera, said in Spanish, gently telling him t to cry.“You don’t have to worry,” Alonso told Antonio Talavera. “You have a family w. You’re t alone.”

(Im Credit: Pixabay/Representative Im)