"Can't Wait to Be There": Afrikaner Refugee's 9-Month Update After Relocating to USA Inspires Others
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- A South African man arrived in the United States as a refugee on 13 January and marked nine months in Birmingham, Alabama with a reflective TikTok video
- He now lives with his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren, and spoke openly about what starting over in America has taught him
- His message to Afrikaners still waiting in South Africa caught the attention of thousands watching from across the country
A South African man living in Birmingham, Alabama, marked nine months in the United States with a TikTok video that quickly resonated with Afrikaners both at home and abroad. The man, known on TikTok as @heni05863, arrived in America on 13 January as a refugee from South Africa. By 13 October, the nine-month milestone, he was settled in Birmingham with his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren.
Source: Getty Images
The video weaves personal snapshots of family life, a car ride, a farm visit, and a baseball game into a candid reflection on what rebuilding from scratch has looked and felt like. The clip was filmed outdoors in a residential yard, with an American flag visible in the background.
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He described the journey as one filled with hard days, surprises and small but meaningful moments that have made the move worthwhile. Rather than paint an easy picture, @heni05863 acknowledged that starting over is genuinely difficult, while making it clear the experience has also brought real joy. His message to those still waiting in South Africa was simple and direct: they have not been forgotten. He said he planned to continue sharing what he had learnt on his page, inviting followers to tell him where they were watching from. Watch his nine-month update here:
South Africans discuss Afrikaner refugee
The video drew comments from South Africans at every stage of the journey, from those deep in the application process to those who feared they had been left behind.
@Rieta Hartzer wrote:
"I am in the Free State and we are busy with the program now halfway through, can't wait to be there."
@Cands shared:
"We are in Edmond, Oklahoma. Living now how we should've been all along. Only we lost my 19-year-old brother in a home invasion, so it's bittersweet."
@Charmaine van Zyl said:
"I'm so happy for you and all other South Africans who went to America. I wish all of you the very best. I'm from Brackenfell, Cape Town. 💚❤️🩵"
@johanbez2911 commented:
"I'm watching from Uvongo, South Africa. I'm sooo interested in this, but I fear my age might count against me. Well done, wish you all the best."
@Susan wrote:
"Live in Bloemfontein, but I think I might be too old to be selected. I'm 69, and my husband is 68."
@RubyTuesday added:
"My son lives in Sylacauga, Alabama, close to you; I'm in SA. Miss him and my grandchildren SO much, but glad he lives in a wonderful country 🇺🇸"
Other Briefly News stories on Afrikaner resettlement in the US
- Afrikaans content creator Jeanne-Marie (@jeannemariewhite) offered social media followers a look into her family’s new life abroad, sharing a video walkthrough of their furnished apartment in Dallas, Texas.
- An emotional airport interview with one of the newly arrived Afrikaner mothers went viral after she described the suffocating hypervigilance and fear that dictated her family's daily existence in South Africa.
- A group of 42 Afrikaners from 18 families landed at Washington Dulles International Airport as part of a US resettlement initiative, expressing deep gratitude and a desire to contribute positively to their new communities.
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Source: Briefly News
