NASA astronaut Sunita Williams after spending over nine months on the International Space Station, got a tearful welcome back home. In an emotional video, she documented her reunion with tears as her two Labradors wagged their tails and sprinted around in joy to greet her home. Williams, who had missed her pets while flying in space, called her joy in the video the “best homecoming ever.” As Williams came back to life on Earth, she also talked about her joy at traveling to India, her father's country, and visiting relatives after a record stay in space.
Sunita Williams shares emotional moment reuniting with her dogs
Williams, who had returned to Earth after being away for a considerable number of days on the International Space Station (ISS), named the video “Best homecoming ever!” The video showed her dogs running around her with enthusiasm, their tails wagging and showering her with hugs as she affectionately petted them. The thrill of finally getting to meet her pets after such a long time was evident on her face, giving her homecoming an emotional appeal.
The emotional video quickly became viral with people such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted with a heart emoji, indicating how much he was surprised by the special moment.
Sunita Williams opens up about missing her pets in space
On board, Sunita Williams talked about how much she had missed having pets, such as her Labrador retrievers. Earlier, in an earlier interview, she had mentioned the toughest experience of her long-in-duration time in space wasn't getting used to life on the ISS but missing her pets and family back on Earth. “I couldn't wait to see my dogs,” she said, highlighting the amount of emotion that went into coming back.
Sunita Williams shares her emotional return to Earth and future plans after space mission
Williams, and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, returned to Earth safely on March 18 aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft splashed down in the waters off Tallahassee, Florida, the mission's successful end.
In a media conference upon her return, Williams demonstrated that she was getting accustomed to life on Earth. “It's great to be back. I ran – very slowly,” she smiled in an interview in Houston. She mentioned in spite of the humidity how nice it was to breathe fresh air again and be on Earth.
Besides her own homecoming, Williams also spoke about her space experience, and more particularly how wonderful India looks from space. She said that she would like to visit India, her father's native land, at some point in the future. She said, “India is amazing from space,” and hoped to share her experience of discovering space with Indians.
Sunita Williams' journey has not only been one of record-breaking achievement, but also of poignant nostalgia for the simple joys of home and family. Her coming back to her furry friends has touched hearts everywhere, reminding all of us that no matter how far we travel, the hugs of family – human or animal – await at home.
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