When 3-year-old Oliver was playing hide-and-seek at his play group in Waltham, Massachusetts, he had no idea his favorite person in the world was waiting to be found.
Oliver and his uncle, 22-year-old Oran shared an unbreakable bond even 400 miles of distance couldn’t shake. While Oran attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the duo stayed close through FaceTime calls filled with excited updates about everything from skating achievements to new toys.
“It’s a bond that’s both playful and deeply affectionate,” said Oliver’s mom, Jenna.
Oran even made sure his nephew had a special reminder of their friendship: a Build-A-Bear lion with a recorded message saying “What’s up little dude,” in Oran’s voice. That bear had become one of Oliver’s most treasured possessions.
So when Oran was coming back from college, Jenna hatched the perfect surprise. While she picked up her brother from the airport, Oliver was at his regular play group. During a game of hide-and-seek, Oliver suddenly spotted the familiar 6-foot-5 best friend near the slide.
Click on the video below to see his incredible reaction!
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boy screams in pure joy finding uncle in sweet hide-and-seek surprise