Being orphaned at a young age is an extremely difficult reality to deal with. Our parents are the ones we turn to for safety, security, and love. Without them, childhood is a rougher experience than most of us can imagine.
However, the experience can connect people, even over thousands of miles. When one Seattle man saw the story of a fellow orphan on TV, he decided to take matters into his own hands and changed three lives forever.
The Heartbreaking Request One Man Made On A Talent Show
Greg Rosas, a Seattle man originally from the Philippines, was watching the Filipino talent show Wowowee when he saw a familiar story that broke his heart. One of the contestants, a young man called Barry Bogert Jr., was telling the audience how his mother had passed away when he was only five years old.
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Before that, he explained, his American Navy father had left the country without ever meeting his son. Barry had a message for his father, letting him know that he still wanted to meet him despite being left as an orphan for the past two decades.
I don’t know if you don’t care about us but I want you to know that I want to see you.
Barry Bogert Jr.
Why One Seattle Man Wanted To Change A Stranger’s Life
Greg Rosas, who had been orphaned himself as a young child, was touched by the fellow orphan’s sad story. He decided to do what he could to find the young man’s father. After searching high and low, Rosas actually found the man. His name was Barry Bogert Sr. and he was living with his family in New Jersey.
After verifying a few details and submitting a paternity test, the result was clear — Barry Bogert Sr. was in fact the long-lost father of Barry Bogert Jr.! Greg Rosas contacted the young Filipino and flew him out to Seattle, then accompanied him to New Jersey to meet his father.
The picture [Greg Rosas] sent me looks exactly like me.
Barry Bogert Sr.
How A Father And Son Reunited After 28 Years
Once they landed in New Jersey, Bogert Jr. and Bogert Sr. finally met after a decades-long separation. Upon seeing one another, the two men broke down in tears. Bogert Jr. also met his father’s other family, who were emotional and excited to be getting a new family member.
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The whole meeting was captured on video, and Greg Rosas felt overwhelmed with emotion about what he was to do for a fellow orphan. He went one step further and offered to sponsor Bogert Jr., offering him a job at the restaurant he owned. Bogert Jr. accepted with enthusiasm, and plans to bring over his fiancée and children as soon as he is able to.
Greg Rosas is a good samaritan who was able to reunite a broken family over 28 years and 6,000 miles. He went above and beyond, but we can all take a page from Rosas’ book. If we all empathized with the stories of those around us and did whatever is in our power to help, the world would be a better place.
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lead with empathy
“Anyone who has experienced a certain amount of loss in their life has empathy for those who have experienced loss.” – Anderson Cooper
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