At the Simón Bolívar Mixed School, amidst questions and arrangements, many volunteers approached to offer help. When asked what she needed, her answer was simple and repeated: “I don’t want anything; the only thing I want is for my dad to be with us. If my dad is here, my happiness is complete.”

These were the words repeated day after day by María Elena San Román Arias, a girl who lost her home in Río Cauto after Hurricane Melissa, and who today is infinitely grateful for all the help that Cuba, and especially the people of Las Tunas, have given her.

The days were filled with searches and work in the affected region. They traveled through flooded areas to locate people separated by the rising waters. One afternoon, when she least expected it and to her surprise, the gift she had asked for arrived: her father.

María Elena described that moment with words that remained in the memory of those who heard them. Her voice broke with emotion, and those who listened understood that her father's presence was what mattered most.

“When I saw him coming, I didn't think about the things we had lost; I just ran to him and held on with all my strength. I felt like a part of us was coming back.”

With the family reunited, the Las Tunas community learned that María Elena would be turning fifteen. In the midst of the tragedy, many volunteers decided to organize a celebration for her at the shelter, a party that would be every girl's dream.

“I don't need luxuries or material things. I need my family to be close and for the children who are evacuated here to feel that they can also have a day of joy. If my party helps with that, so be it.”

The “Simón Bolívar,” transformed into a party hall, was a setting where the emotion and simplicity of all those present mingled. During the celebration, María Elena spoke several times slowly and thoughtfully to those who attended. “When the house flooded, I thought that my future was taken too, that my dream day wouldn't be possible. I came to Las Tunas with my mother and siblings, without my father, and every night I wondered if I would ever see him again. You brought me something I didn't expect, not just gifts, but the certainty that there are still people who care. Today, dancing with my father, I feel like we've recovered a part of what was lost. Thank you for giving that back to us.”

The photos she received as a gift from the SX Fotos studio will be kept in an album alongside the memories that accompany her today. “These photos are something I never thought I'd have. Each image reminds me that it's possible to smile again.”

Today, María Elena walks with the certainty of someone who lost almost everything and yet recovered what was essential: her father and the solidarity of a community. Her story combines the anguish of losing everything, the happiness of the reunion, and the joy of a dream come true amidst adversity. In every step she takes lies the decision to rebuild what was lost with the help of those who did not leave her alone.