Siblings reunite after 73 years only to meet twice, all thanks to niece
There is nothing worse than separating from a loved one, but imagine reuniting with your loved one after 73 years but only to meet them twice. Feels surreal right? This is exactly what happened with Luis Armando, after he reunited with his brother.
Luis Armando Albino, now 79, was kidnapped by a lady on February 21, 1951, in a park where he was playing with his older brother, Roger.
Siblings reunite after 73 years
According to the woman lured the kid away from his family in return for sweets before kidnapping him and transporting him from West Oakland to the east coast. And later, a couple from New York City raised Luis as if he was their own kid.
Luis' relatives revealed that his birth mother never gave up hope and believed one day her child would return to his home. But in 2005, the mother tragically died at the age of 95, having no knowledge what had happened to her child.
Niece on the rescue
And later, Alida Alequin, Luis' niece, pursued her uncle's case and tried finding him with various DNA tests and newspaper clippings.Alida, who stays in Oakland, was able to gain cooperation from the local police, FBI, and Department of Justice in her quest for Luis. The local police department complimented her efforts, stating that she played an "integral role in discovering her uncle".
Alida also managed to arrange a reunion between the two brothers after they stayed separated for 73 years. Luis hugged his niece, saying "thank you for finding me" and kissing her on the cheek. Alida told the
About Luis
Luis has spent the last seven decades in the Marine Corps, including two tours of service in Vietnam, as a firefighter. He also became a father and a grandfather. However, Luis and Roger's reunion was bittersweet, as the elder brother had been diagnosed with cancer just before they met.
They hugged each other tightly for a long time. "They sat down and just talked," Alida said. Luis and Roger barely met twice before the elder brother died in August.
