MANILA, Philippines — This meeting was over two decades in the making.
"SURREAL," Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados wrote in an Instagram post. "What a way to start my year!"
'Surreal': Gazini Ganados meets Palestinian father for the first time
Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados with his Palestinian father,
Instagram/gazinii
The Filipino-Palestinian beauty said in previous interviews that part of her mission to become a beauty queen is to travel to see her father, whom she has never met.
“I don’t know if he is still alive. I’m hoping for the best. He’s a Palestinian. I just wanna go there and try to look for him,” Manila Bulletin quoted her as saying.
"I would give him a hug. I would thank him for the genes because without him, I wouldn’t be here... I’d be joyful. That would be the happiest day of my life," Gazini added.
However, Gazini didn't have to go far as his father travelled to the Philippines to meet her in the flesh.
Ganados said that they had dinner at the same place where her dad and mother met for the first time.
Born Gazini Christiana Jordi Ganados, the Cebuana grew up with her grandparents.
Gazini won the Best in National Costume special award in the Miss Universe 2019 pageant. She made it to the Top 20 through the wildcard group.