Prepare to ugly cry. A new video tells the story of an amazing mother who sacrificed everything she had to move countries so her gay son a better life.

Javier and his mother emigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala when he was just six years old. At the time, she didn’t explain the reason for the move. Ten years later, when Javier came out as gay, he learned what her motivations had been.

Related: What It Means To Be An Undocumented LGBT Immigrant

Guatemala doesn’t have a great record when it comes to gay rights. In fact, a recent survey found that 85% of Guatemalans oppose legal equality for LGBTQ citizens. After he came out, Javier’s mother explained that she brought him to the U.S. out of fear for how he may be treated when he got older.

“I guess I might’ve just been a very queer kid,” he says. “My mother realized it wasn’t something that was going to go away. There just came a point where my mom decided we can’t stay in this country. It’s not safe for my family, it’s not safe for me. And so, she made the sacrifice to come to the U.S.”

Related: Life Of Gay Undocumented Immigrant Is Focus Of New Film

Watch Javier’s story below and hear the powerful message he has for others who may find themselves in similar situations…

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