Joan Fígols and Alex Fernández have been hopeful about becoming parents for seven years. And as their journey towards becoming dads neared the end, the world was hit COVID-19 and with a global pandemic ensued.
In an interview with People, the couple was expecting their son Lluc to be welcomed into the world sometimes after March. But when Europe closed its borders, in an effort to combat COVID-19, Fígols and Fernández were stuck in Spain while their surrogate was in Boise, Idaho preparing to birth their son.
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Unclear what to do next, Fígols and Fernández began fighting their way to their son immediately. “Our battle with the embassies started the moment the U.S. border was closed to European flights,” Fernández told People. “We sent hundreds of emails asking for permission to travel, but we were always denied because Lluc hadn’t been born yet.”
Then on April 24 weighing 6.8 lbs, Lluc was born and Fígols and Fernández were overjoyed. Still unable to enter the country, Nicole Williamson, the owner of the surrogacy agency they went through, A Host of Possibilities, stepped in to help. As People reported, Williamson cared for baby Lluc until his dads were able to enter the United States.
Fígols and Fernández relied on video chat to be a part of the first months of their son’s life because of COVID-19.
From doctor’s appointments to how he was sleeping and eating, Williamson kept the dads up to date on everything. “Nicole and her family have been like guardian angels for us,” said Fernández to People.
Then at six weeks old, Lluc met one of his dads for the first time. As People reports, for whatever reason, only Fígols was permitted into the country while Fernández was not.
As Williamson told People, watching Fígols with his little one for the first time was “amazing.” “There were so many things that happened in Lluc’s first six weeks that they didn’t get to experience. But seeing Joan hold him for the first time really was amazing.”
“It had been such a long road to get here and then to finally have him in my arms,” Fígols added. “It was an emotional reunion.” On June 16, Fígols was able to return home with their son in his arms.
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“It felt like such a relief when they finally got here,” Fernández admitted. “Until he was here, it felt like our problems weren’t over yet.” Now they are enjoying their lives together as a family of three. Both Fígols and Fernández said, “we’d do it all over again” and that’s exactly what they will do next year for baby number two.