Amid the ongoing chaos and destruction from Hurricane Harvey have been a slew of touching and heartbreaking stories. Among them, CNN captured the moment that a man who lost everything found out that his dad survived the storm.
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Aaron Mitchell of Aransas Pass, Texas, told the outlet in an interview published on Monday that he had lost his home and belongings and that he wasn’t sure if his father was safe.
“I lost everything,” he said. “There’s been no cell service since Thursday, Friday. I haven’t gotten a hold of anybody. If my mom and dad are watching, I’m okay.”
Mitchell, who at moments was teary-eyed and bewildered during the interview, had reportedly walked 12 miles to his father’s home in a unsuccessful quest to find him. He was finally able to reach his dad after CNN secured a satellite phone for him to use — and the moment was quite emotional.
“Dad, I love you,” Mitchell said through tears after learning that his dad had survived the storm.
A CNN camera captured the entire thing. Watch the moment unfold below:
The moment this Hurricane Harvey survivor, who lost everything, learned his dad survived https://t.co/5xzjBEFmKt https://t.co/X5YxYdDghT
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) August 28, 2017
Mitchell later got on a bus to Austin, Texas, where his father had fled when the storm hit; he planned to meet him there.