By Surbhi Kaul
A Reddit post recently led to an emotional real-life reunion, as one user who hadn’t seen their father since the age of two finally reconnected with him — thanks to the support and advice of strangers online. The user turned to the r/Bengaluru community in hopes of tracking down their father, posting under the title: “Looking for My Father – He Worked at Poornima Travels, Majestic, Bengaluru in 1998. Any Leads Would Mean the World to Me.” They shared that their father had been employed at Poornima Travels in Bengaluru around 1998 and originally hailed from Kerala. “I’m trying to find my father, who worked at Poornima Travels in Majestic, Bengaluru, around the year 1998. He must be 45 to 50 years old now. He is originally from Kerala, but was working in Bengaluru at that time. “My parents separated when I was just 2 years old, and I’ve never had the chance to know him,” they wrote. However, when staff at the travel company declined to provide any information, the user sought help from the Reddit community. In their post, they noted, “Even the smallest lead could help me find him.” Redditors soon responded with an outpouring of encouragement and actionable advice. Some users recommended sending a detailed email to Poornima Travels’ customer service. Others suggested visiting old offices, speaking with long-time employees, or even reaching out to people in Kerala. One commenter offered a kind and thoughtful suggestion: “Hey there. First of all, I sincerely wish you success in your quest to connect with your father. I’m dropping this suggestion here because I couldn’t see any indication of it having been attempted based on your inputs above. Hence, please forgive me for being presumptuous. Did you try writing them an email through their customer care ID?” They added, “That could eventually make its way to the owner or someone who has access to the relevant information. Incase you plan to do so, please make sure you factor in all possible information you can provide so the likelihood of it reaching someone dropping the request internally due to lack there of is minimal. Wishing you success once again.” Another user hoped the community would pull through: “I wish Reddit does its great thing now.” And just two days later — it did. In a touching update, the original poster wrote: “I finally found my dad and my entire family. Sadly, my grandparents and my dad’s brother are no longer alive. Only one uncle is still around.” They were able to speak with their father over the phone, thanks to a friend who helped translate from Malayalam. The moment was deeply emotional. “My dad cried when he heard my voice. I found out that he never remarried. He is currently working in Chennai and hasn’t been to Kerala for the past four years,” the user revealed. They ended their post with heartfelt thanks: “It was such an emotional moment, and I’m incredibly grateful – I got the information through Reddit.” What began as a desperate plea for help online turned into a powerful reunion — proof of how digital communities can sometimes lead to life-changing real-world outcomes.