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It is not Father’s Day, but Jeff Bezos makes every day a holiday to thank his dad for his courage and sacrifices. The Amazon founder took the stage during the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Awards to pay homage to Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who, without knowing the language, dared to navigate a new country in search of a better future.
“My dad is an intense, hard worker, and he’s also warm and teaches an easy smile and self-deprecating humor,” Jeff wrote on Instagram. “My brother, sister, and I could not have a better role model. We love him and are so proud of him for this well-deserved recognition.”
The awards also shared a video of the moment on social media, highlighting Miguel Bezos’s resilience, compassion, and dedication. Jeff Bezos’ girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez, praised him for his sweet words. “🤍 This tribute is everything🤍,” Lauren wrote.
“Every immigrant who’s come to this country, they all have their own unique stories, fighting for a better life, hardships, but they also end up having a belief in America,” Jeff said in his speech. “They think this place creates opportunity, and it does.”
“That’s certainly the story of my dad,” he reveals. “He came from Santiago, Cuba. He was 16 and spoke no English. He had to make his way. He had those tough experiences.”
Jefe Bezos proceeds to describe his dad and what makes him so unique. “I think in every immigrant, you’ll find a deep optimism and a deep resilience. To my dad is an intense hard work,” he said. “My dad is a warm; He teaches with an easy smile. My brother and sister and I could not have had a better role model. Thank you.” After his remarks, Bezos appeared on the verge of tears while the two hugged on stage.
In 2021, Bezos and his father posed with the Statue of Liberty in the background, sharing details about Mr. Miguel’s journey and push for a Dreamers legislation. “I want to thank the Congressional leaders who will bring Dreamers legislation to the House floor tomorrow,” Bezos wrote at the time. “My dad was a ‘Dreamer’ before there was such a thing. He was 16 when he came to America, all by himself, from Cuba. He didn’t speak English and didn’t have an easy path,” he said.
“What he did have was grit, determination, and the support and kindness of people here in the U.S. who helped him. He received a scholarship to college in Albuquerque, where he met my mom,” Bezos continued. “On behalf of my dad and families like mine, I’m hopeful that policymakers will come together to create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and prioritize more commonsense immigration reforms like reducing the green card backlog. Families across America deserve this.”