It’s heartbreaking when a young boy who gets lost and can’t be found by his parents gets adopted. But what happens when this boy, now grownup, searches for his real parents and finds them?
It’s definitely going to be a tearjerker. That’s how the audience of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (KMJS) felt in watching the June 12 episode of the GMA Network show retelling Jojo Carteret’s reunion with his biological mother, who failed to find him after their family home in Munoz, Quezon City was gutted by fire 30 years ago.
The then lost Jojo, just 4 years old in 1985, was turned over to the DSWD and was eventually adopted by an Australian couple. He returned to the Philippines in December to search for his real parents with the help of KMJS.
The search started with asking people around Munoz Market for a jeepney driver by the name of Carding and a dressmaker by the name of Herminia. He learned the complete names of his parents, Herminia Rio and Carding Culadilla. He also learned that his father already immigrated to the US, where he works as a mechanic.
KMJS staff helped find the contact numbers of his father in the US and they were able to meet and talk via video call.
Before returning to Australia, Jojo went to a radio station to air his search for Herminia Rio/
“This is Joel and this is your lost boy that went missing in 1985 and I’m back and I’m really eager to meet you,” GMA News quoted Jojo as saying in the radio program.
The radio announcement reached Herminia and KMJS arranged the meeting of the mother and son a day before Jojo’s flight to Australia.
Jojo and Herminia, each carrying photos of each other 30 years ago, met and hugged each other while tears were flowing from their eyes.
The Australian parents of Jojo later went to the Philippines with Jojo and met Herminia, who thanked her for taking care and loving her son.
Julie Carteret was also thankful to Herminia saying Jojo gave them joy.
The story of the tearful reunion has a video posted on Facebook page with the title “Pau-uwi ni Jojo.” The video has more than 200,000 views.
credit: Courtesy of JD De Carteret
