Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Dayron Varona hugs his niece Melissa Cabrera yesterday
...welcome home son
American
baseball player has been reunited with his Cuban family for the first
time in three years after moving to the US to further his career.
Dayron Varona, 28, who plays for the Tampa Bay Rays, said it was an
'unbelievable' experience when he embraced his loved ones including his
sister and young niece in Havana.
Back in 2013 he and his mother took the brave decision to move to the US so he could attempt to play in a professional league.
Cuban Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Dayron
Varona, right, gets a hug from Cuban sports commentator Ivan Lopez as
he arrives at the team hotel in Havana
Mr Varona, speaking with tears in his eyes, told the Tampa Bay Times: 'It's something that I can't believe is happening.
'Even
hugging my niece there, it's something I can't put into words. To have
an experience like this right now is pretty unbelievable.'
Speaking
through an interpreter, he added: 'It was not even a definite that I
was going to be here really until the last minute when we found out,
fortunately, that I not only would be allowed to come into the country
but be allowed to leave to go back to the States afterward.'
Yesterday
he met eight family members in the lobby of the Cohiba Melia hotel as
part of a trip to the country with his Florida team.
His family, including niece Meliza, waited two hours for him before the Rays arrived just before 11pm.
Dayron Varona, who is originally from Cuba, hugs his niece Melissa Cabrera as he meets his family
Relatives of Cuban Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Dayron Varona weep after seeing him for the first time in years
The
outfielder had a tense wait to know whether he could return to his home
country as he didn't get final approval until Saturday.
Mr
Varona, who signed for the Rays in May, said when he left Cuba three
years ago he wasn't sure the authorities would ever allow him to
return.
The relationship between the Caribbean island and the US became hostile when Cuba became a communist state.
Barack
Obama became the first US President to visit the communist state in
nine decades yesterday. He is on the two-day trip with Michelle and
Sasha and Malia
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