Cuban Woman in the U.S. Seeks Long-Lost Aunt: "Left Cuba in the 80s, Supposedly Arrived in Miami"

A Cuban woman living in the United States, known on social media as @maivel90, has shared a heartfelt video on TikTok and Instagram appealing for help to locate her aunt, Normairis Rodríguez del Toro, who vanished over 40 years ago after emigrating from Cuba to the U.S.

"She's my aunt. She left Cuba around the 1980s and was supposed to have arrived in Miami, but our family never heard from her again. She left before I was born. Her name is, or was, Normairis Rodríguez del Toro, born on 05/14/1951 in Cuba," Maivel explained in the video alongside an old family photo.

Emphasizing the sincerity of her plea, Maivel added, "I'm not doing this for money or any other motive. I live here in the United States, and it's just a genuine question from my mom, wondering what happened to her sister. If she's still alive, she would be about 74 years old. So, if you ever met or heard of someone named Normairis Rodríguez del Toro, or if she might have changed her name through marriage, please contact me privately. Maybe social media can accomplish what my family couldn't in more than 40 years."

"If this video reaches the right person, it will have been worth it," she continued. "So if you have any questions about a family member or are trying to find someone you lost touch with long ago and can relate, please like, share, and comment if you've ever known anyone by this name." Maivel further clarified in the TikTok comments that her aunt "lived in Guanabo before leaving Cuba." She elaborated, "My mom has been without news of her for over 40 years, and my grandmother passed away without knowing." Her mother, now 69, "just wants to know if she's alive, if she's okay, or what happened to her."

The video has sparked hundreds of reactions and supportive messages. Numerous users shared similar experiences or practical advice for finding missing people. "Girl, I found friends through Facebook," a woman commented. Another user noted, "There's a page on Facebook called ‘Cubanos por el mundo’ where they help you search. My mom had a friend who left in 1980 and we never heard from her again. I reached out to them, and they found her."

One widely shared comment suggested, "Check Facebook for a group called ‘Buscando familia.’ I found my father through that page after 40 years; he came during the Mariel boatlift, and they located him for me. Thanks to them, I'm reunited with my dad today." Responding to this recommendation, Maivel said, "The group is called ‘Buscando familia,’ I'll look it up," and added, "I'll write to the page, thanks for the advice."

Some offered specific guidance for conducting official searches, including resources with links to the USCIS immigration records, the National Archives (NARA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), detailing steps to request information about individuals who emigrated in the 1980s.

Others conveyed hope: "I've shared it; may God help you reunite," "I'm sharing it, and hopefully, you'll learn about her or her descendants. Blessings," "Hope you find her, good luck." An internet user shared a similar story: "This story is just like my mom's. We came to the U.S. looking for her missing sister and never knew what happened until we found her. She was living happily with her family and children, and just forgot about her family in Cuba, didn't care." Maivel replied, "If that's the case, it's fine. I just want my mom to know what happened to her life, and if she's well and happy, that would be ideal. Everyone makes their own choices; if she forgot, that was her decision."

Some messages reflected the emotional toll of the situation. "Wow, never knowing about a close family member, that's tough," one user wrote. Others were more skeptical: "If she didn't want to be found in 40 years, she probably still doesn't, sad but true." Maivel responded, "I know, my only reason is my mom wants to know."

Many participants expressed hope that social media might bring about a reunion. "Let's share to get results," commented one woman. Others noted the generational context: "She probably left during the Mariel boatlift in 1980, hope you find her."

For now, Maivel holds on to the hope that her message on social media will achieve what her family couldn't in over four decades: a sign of life or an answer about the fate of her aunt, who would now be 74 years old.