Miami Heat rookie Chris Silva couldn’t hold back the tears when he was reunited with his mother for the first time in three years.
The Gabon native got a late Christmas gift from the NBA, which helped to arrange the reunion.
READ MORE: WATCH: College basketball player PUNCHES official in celebration gone wrong
Carine Minkoue Obame, Silva’s mom, traveled over 6,300 miles to meet her son at the end of Miami’s practice on Friday.
“It’s been 3 years since @SilvaObame has seen his mother. Tonight they reunited and it was everything you could imagine and more,” the club wrote on Twitter.
The 23-year-old left his home country in 2012 and has only seen his family once in the seven years since then, spending two weeks in Gabon in 2016.
The surprise visit was set up by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the senior vice president of international basketball operations, Kimberly Bohuny, and the NBA Africa program.
“I couldn’t believe she was walking in… I thought I was seeing a ghost,” Silva said.
“I couldn’t help myself; I was emotional. Thank you Africa NBA for this amazing prize. This goes right to my heart and has made this holiday special to me.”
Silva, who is playing on a two-way contract with the Heat this season, has averaged 3.8 points and 3.6 rebounds.