Father finds his son in Croatia after 40 years apart

Father and son reunited in Croatia (Photo credit: Croatian Red Cross)

Nearly forty years after being torn apart by conflict, a father and son have been reunited thanks to the National Tracing Service of the Croatian Red Cross.

The emotional story has touched everyone involved in the lengthy process of restoring their family ties, the Croatian Red Cross shared.

The father, who first came to Croatia as a young student, returned to his native Lebanon after completing his studies.

Not long after, the country was engulfed in armed conflict. His son, meanwhile, remained in Croatia with his mother, just as the Homeland War began.

Although the family managed to maintain contact for a short time, the outbreak of war abruptly cut off all communication.

Over the decades that followed, the father tirelessly searched for any information that might help him reconnect with his son.

Despite numerous attempts and inquiries through various channels, he could not find a way to reach him.

Even travelling to Croatia himself brought no success; years of address changes and the passage of time once again closed the trail.

Everything changed when he learnt about the Croatian Red Cross Tracing Service, which helps restore family links and locate separated or missing relatives.

Encouraged by staff, he submitted an official tracing request, a decision that would finally bring the breakthrough he had been hoping for.

Once the request was opened, Red Cross staff began their search. Before long came the news the father had waited almost four decades to hear: the Red Cross branch in Klanjec had located his son, who expressed a heartfelt wish to reconnect.

The father travelled to Croatia the very next day, and after so many years apart, father and son finally embraced.

(Photo credit: Croatian Red Cross)

Staff described the reunion as profoundly moving, witnessing the pair joyfully seize the chance for a fresh start.

“This will be the best Christmas ever,” the son said, already planning a trip to Lebanon to meet the side of the family he has only now discovered. With deep gratitude, the father closed his tracing request, relieved and overjoyed to have found his son at last.

(Photo credit: Croatian Red Cross)