It is said that love knows no bounds. And if anything has been learned from the past 3 years of a worldwide pandemic, it’s that you need to cherish the time you have with your family and friends.

It hasn’t always been easy to see each other, but for some, between them and the pandemic also stood a distance not easily traveled. For one 10-year-old, however, that wasn’t going to stop him. Alongside his father, he was determined to make his way to someone he loved.

Romeo Cox and his family knew that travel during the early days of the pandemic was nearly impossible due to restrictions. But the young man, along with his father, Phil, decided to make their way on foot from their home in Palermo, Italy, to London, England, all to see his grandmother.

Romeo Cox traveled from Italy to London on foot just to see his grandmother. Photo from Instagram.

Their trip was complicated. They walked nearly 2,000 miles over constantly changing terrain. They hiked, rode donkeys  and at times had to travel by boat. They crossed from Italy into Switzerland, and then France, before making their way into London. 

We got lost a few times. We slept under a wasp nest which wasn’t a good idea, got bloody feet, but we never thought about giving up,” Romeo said.

The pair told the Daily Mail that at one point they even had to ward off wild dogs.

They said they camped outside, occasionally staying in hostels or churches to give themself a break from the constant travel. But it was all worth it. “As we got closer, I just kept thinking about seeing my Granny, and how excited I was,” Romeo said.

Romeo Cox traveled thousands of miles by foot to see his grandmother. Photo from Instagram.

The trip also allowed Romeo and his father a chance to document their travels on Instagram. They raised more than $14,000 for REACT (Refugee Education Across Conflicts Trust), which is a charity run by his mother, Giovanna Stopponi.

When the family moved to Palermo from London, prior to the pandemic, Romeo said the local children helped him learn to speak Italian.

“I know that some kids my age and older here in Palermo have missed out on all the study during lock-down because they cannot get online for the lessons and already find themselves excluded and missing out,” he said. “Being able to learn online and have digital learning is important.”

The money Romeo helped raise will be used to buy 50 tablets for refugee and disadvantaged children, along with giving them access to Wi-Fi.

Romeo and his father made it to London after 93 days. Once he completed a short isolation period, he was finally able to do what he had wanted for 2,000 miles ‒ give his grandmother, 77-year-old Rosemary, a hug.

Watch below to see the heartwarming story about Romeo’s trip to hug to visit his grandmother.

Sources: Daily Mail | Shareably | NowThis