Elderly dad video calls son 'living abroad' without realizing he was standing right behind him

Living away from your parents is never easy — you miss dinners, celebrations, and the little things they used to be part of. But every once in a while, a small surprise can make the distance worth it, just like one given by a man to his father, which took him a little too long to realize. In a now-viral TikTok shared by Manu (@manu.arantex), a man was speaking to his son on a video call from his phone. Holding the device up, the elderly man smiled and chatted with the screen, completely unaware that his son was standing just behind him.

As the call continued, the son patiently waited for the right moment. The older man kept looking at the camera, smiling warmly and holding the phone close. Meanwhile, others in the room struggled to hold back their laughter, knowing what was coming. Eventually, the son stepped in and leaned over his father’s shoulder with his own phone mirroring the video call. The older man blinked in confusion, glancing at the new screen in front of him before slowly realizing what had just happened. When it hit him, he dropped his phone out of sheer shock and quickly stood up to embrace his son.

The two held each other tightly as laughter gave way to tears. A phone call had turned into a real-life reunion, and the joy in the father’s eyes said it all. He had no idea the person he missed so much was standing right there in the same room. Seeing this kind of love between a father and son is rare, considering 1 in 4 Americans are estranged from their families, which is roughly 67 million people, as per a 2020 study. The post was widely shared across social media, including Reddit, after being shared by u/solateor, where people were both laughing and ugly crying upon witnessing this adorable reunion.

u/Sorry_but_I_meant_it said, "Best prank ever. The payoff was worth the confusion. Now let me cut my onions in peace." u/spartafury commented, "You can’t help but feel the love in videos like this, just awesome." u/drumsonfire added, "Didn’t need sound on to appreciate the love and depth of caring they have for each other. Thank you for posting this!" u/Mad_Kronos chimed in, "A year ago, this video would bring a smile to my face. Now that I am a father to a baby son, it brings both a smile and a few tears. Damn, I changed and I didn't even notice." Some even expressed their longing for a relationship like this with their fathers. u/Caleger88 wrote, "Huh... so that's what a loving parent looks like. I love how long it took for the dad to realise the son was in the room." u/Chaotic_Hilarity quipped, "Wish I had someone who loved me as much as that father loves his son."

Others shared anecdotes of similar pranks they had played on their loved ones. u/wishnana recalled, "I did this once after coming from a long trip. Got my dad surprised at our home, and his immediate reaction was to throw a slipper in reflex. By the time he realized who he'd thrown it at, he was all teary-eyed, laughing, and sorry all at the same time." u/NyneShaydee added, "I was blessed enough to surprise my mom for Mother's Day this year, and I swear, this brought me to tears in the same way. Time really is so short, we gotta do the things now!"

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