After 12 Years Apart Blindfolded Grandma Surprised By Granddaughter She Raised

A woman raised by her grandma in Mexico before moving to join her mom in the US finally got the chance to return home and surprise her beloved “second mom” after 12 years apart. Shiela ‘Shay’ Panecatl Ponce, who lives in Downey, California, built an extremely close bond with grandma Laura Lopez Flores, 64, during the decade she was raised by her in Guadalajara, Mexico. According to Shay, 23, her mom suffered from domestic violence and fled to the United States, leaving Shay, who was just two years old at the time, to be raised by her grandma in her hometown. In 2010, Shay headed to the US to join her mom, and once there, she was able to apply for a U-Visa, which covers individuals who have been victims of certain crimes. Over the years that followed, Shay really missed her grandma, who had once raised her as her own, and her family also suffered tragedy in November 2020 when Shay's younger brother died in a car accident aged just 18. When Shay later received confirmation her green card had been approved on February 22, she decided to keep the news secret from her family back home. She planned a trip from her home in California back to Guadalajara a couple of months later with her aunt, who is still based in Mexico. On April 4, Laura entered a room where she was greeted with a giant gift placed in front of her while she was blindfolded. When the blindfold was removed and Laura approached the package, she discovered a teddy bear and, emerging from the giant bag, her granddaughter, who she had not seen in 12 years. The pair headed in for an emotional hug.

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