Father and daughter reunite after 14 months apart
There were emotional scenes at Bupa Parkhaven Care Home in Auckland this week, as Rehana Sahib arrived from Sydney, Australia to greet her father Akber Sahib.
Rehana arrived on the fourth flight out of Sydney on Monday to greet her Dad, after 14 months apart due to the border closures. The Sydney-based investment bank manager says she would regularly video call her 80 year old father, but admitted it wasn’t the same as seeing him in person.
“The first thing Dad would say to me on video calls was ‘when are you coming to see me’. We both cried when we saw each other again, it was very emotional.”
Akber Sahib has been a resident of the Mangere East care home for seven years and had been enjoying regular visits every four to six weeks from his eldest daughter before Covid hit. Rehana says even though her Dad has had a number of health and mobility issues over the past few years, he’s still his jovial self.
“He’s been much brighter since I’ve been back and it’s just been so wonderful to hold his hand and hug him again.”
