The hugs we waited for, and the hugs that were taken away

This First Person article is the experience of Sharon Agard, a daughter, mother and communications strategist in Ottawa’s east-end suburb of Orléans. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

This is our family, with my three kids and both sets of grandparents. We are big huggers. 

My newly retired parents decided to get away for the winter, with a plan to spend five weeks in Sri Lanka where my family is from. We were all caught off-guard when the pandemic hit, and they were stranded there for six months.

After months of separation, Sharon Agard and her family were thrilled