A Mother's Heartache: A Cuban Mother in the U.S. Shares Her Emotional Journey After Leaving Her Children Behind

A Cuban mother who moved to the United States in search of a brighter future for her children has shared a deeply emotional story on TikTok. In her poignant reflection, she speaks about the emotional toll of leaving her children behind in Cuba. Her narrative, filled with sacrifice, longing, and introspection, has struck a chord with many viewers who relate to her experience.

"I came here for them," she reveals in the video, visibly emotional. She recounts how she decided to migrate alone after her brother was able to include her in the parole process, but not her children. "They told me, 'Yes mom, go there... then you'll bring us over.' And I, fearing that as they grew older they might attempt a dangerous sea journey, decided to come first," she shares.

Since then, she endures for her children, though she feels she has become a secondary figure in their lives. "Now I'm like the one who sends things, the one who's over there. I don't know if they think like others who say that since I'm alone, all I need is affection, love," she admits.

“While my children have $400 sneakers, I wear a pair that cost just over $7 from Temu. I don't complain, it doesn't matter to me, everything I do is for them,” she insists. However, she acknowledges the pain of distance, especially during occasions like Mother's Day when she received no greeting. "A neighbor congratulated me... but from my children, nothing."

One of her most painful memories is her bond with her youngest child: "I used to say he was my little rearview mirror. He followed me everywhere... I was his battle buddy." Today, she says, that role has changed. In a story he wrote, his adventure partner is now his father, and she is no longer mentioned.

"I feel like, in his subconscious, I'm no longer present... and I'm not, but it still hurts," she confesses. "I don't know to what extent this sacrifice will be rewarded."

She also touched on the current migration context and its influence on her decisions. "With all this talk about Trump wanting to reverse policies, I’ve told them: 'I’ll pack up, I’ll come back,' but they respond: 'no, no, no, you stay there, we just want to leave.' Holding strong for her children, she states clearly: "I came because they told me to, if they say to come back, I will."

The testimony has sparked a wave of reactions on TikTok. Some mothers share similar sentiments: “I feel the same way; my daughter sees me as an ATM,” one user wrote. Another added, “All we can do is lean on our partners and keep pushing, wipe our tears... they neither value nor appreciate our sacrifices.”

Other voices were more critical. “Children should never be left behind under any circumstances,” opined another user. Yet, many comments showed empathy: “It’s adolescence, they do love you, they just don’t show it right now,” another expressed.

While such stories are not new, each one highlights the silent pain many Cuban mothers endure in exile. Just last July, another mother addressed similar criticisms while celebrating her U.S. citizenship with her daughter. “When they criticized me for leaving her... today we are together,” she wrote then.

Cuban psychologist Carelis Conde also tackled the issue from an emotional health perspective. In a video on her account, she discussed the guilt felt by many migrant mothers and offered tools to maintain connections with their children.

This mother's story echoes others, like Fariri López's account of six years apart from her children, or Nathyy Zaldivar's decision to forgo celebrating Christmas while her kids were distant.

The narrative of this Cuban mother sheds light on a painful and often overlooked reality of migrating without family. Even though her voice is one among many, her words resonate with those who have ever questioned, with a heavy heart: Was it worth it?