The Incredible Reunion: A Family's Decades-Long Search for a Missing Piece

Being 6 years old and suddenly being torn from your family, taken away to an unknown place, and left to start a new life without any memory of your past. For Luis Armando Albino, this nightmare became reality in 1951 when he was kidnapped from an Oakland park. More than seven decades later, his niece, Alida Alequin, embarked on a remarkable journey to find her missing uncle, and their incredible reunion would bring joy and closure to the family. Alequin's quest began in 2020 when she took an online DNA test, which revealed a 22 percent match with a man who turned out to be her uncle. Although the initial search yielded no answers, she and her daughters continued their search, pouring over old newspaper articles and photographs. Their perseverance paid off when they discovered a photo of Luis and his brother, Roger, in a 1951 Oakland Tribune article. With the new lead, Oakland police reopened the missing persons case, and a DNA sample from Luis was obtained. Investigators then compared the sample with that of Alequin's mom, and the match confirmed that Luis was indeed her uncle. On June 20, Alequin and her mom received the news that they had been waiting for: Luis had been found. The reunion was a heartwarming moment for the family. Luis, a retired firefighter and Marine Corps veteran, was reunited with his California family, and he expressed his gratitude to his niece for finding him. "I hugged her and said, 'Thank you for finding me,' and gave her a kiss on the cheek," he said. Alequin's determination to find her uncle was a testament to the power of family bonds and the importance of never giving up hope. Her story serves as a reminder that even the most impossible searches can lead to a happy ending.