‘You Made My Day’: 11-Year-Old Has Emotional Surprise Reunion With Best Friend After Pandemic Separation

By Peyton Phillips September 30, 2021

Two 11-year-old boys were separated by a family move followed by the pandemic. One of them had a bad day at school and was in disbelief when he opened the car door to find his best friend in the backseat.

An emotional video shows the touching reunion between two boys who were separated due to the pandemic.

Three years ago, an 11-year-old boy from Chicago, Owen, moved to Missouri with his family and had to leave his best friend, Stevie, behind. “The separation compounded by COVID has been hard on both boys,” Diane Stroud, Stevie’s mother, told NBC Chicago.

Stevie had a bad day at school last week, so he asked to be picked up early and had no idea that his best friend traveled from Missouri to Chicago on a business trip with his dad and was waiting in the backseat of the car.

In the video, Stevie walks to the car with his backpack on and basketball in hand. He opens the door and is in disbelief when he sees Owen, even dropping the basketball. Stevie immediately starts crying tears of joy as his mom explains why Owen is there.

“What are you doing here?!” exclaimed Stevie, between sobs. “You just made my day. I’ve had the worst day ever. What are you doing here?”

Owen replied, “I’m visiting you in Chicago! That’s what I’m doing here.”

“I feel like I’m dreaming,” said Stevie.

Image source: NBC News