Siblings fly brother to Dubai to surprise mum for Christmas

Dubai - They flew in their youngest sibling from the Philippines so they can finally be together for Christmas after 14 long years.

For more than a decade, Filipina dentist Jobel Santos has never spent Christmas back home with her daughter and two sons. This year, however, Christmas came to her in Dubai.
Her 31-year-old daughter Ross Kristine and 28-year-old son Ronn Kevin - who eventually joined her in the UAE - decided to give her the best surprise gift ever.
They flew in their youngest sibling from the Philippines so they can finally be together for Christmas after 14 long years.
"When I saw Kian (her youngest child) at the door of our flat, I thought I was dreaming - and I didn't want to wake up!" said Jobel, who works at a dental clinic in Jumeirah, Dubai.
Rafael Kian, 18, was only four when he last hugged her mum on Christmas Eve. "Had I known that it would take this long before I could embrace her again while greeting her 'Merry Christmas', I wouldn't have let go at that moment in 2005," he said.
Right up until he got his ticket and visa from his sister, he couldn't believe he would be flying to Dubai for the holidays.
Jobel said leaving her family in the Philippines was the most heartbreaking decision she had to make. "But, being the breadwinner, it was the only option I could think of to ensure their future."
Ross Kristine is now a nurse in Abu Dhabi, while Ronn Kevin is an engineer in Dubai. Kian is pursuing multimedia arts.
Since Jobel left for the Middle East in 2005, she always opted to use her annual leave for the kids' summer vacation.
"Not being able to spend Christmas with my kids was a yearly sacrifice. Also, it's usually a busy season at work, plus all the expenses that come with the holiday season were too much to bear in those years," Jobel said.
"This time, I couldn't wish for anything more. This is the best present ever."
kirstin@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai