TAMPA, Fla. - Two Tampa International Airport workers are showing what love in the time of a global pandemic means as they work to keep travelers safe – but they had to jump through some hurdles to fight on the frontlines together.

Angela Villavicencio and Gonzalo Martin work as part of the airport’s janitorial services crew.

Their love story, though, goes all the way back to 2008 in their native Cuba.

“I met him and it was love at first sight. And we’ve been together for 12 years now!” Villavicencio gushed.

But five years ago, she moved to Tampa. Every day since then, they’ve been waiting for the day he could join her in the states.

It finally happened on February 19 — less than a month before everything shut down in Florida.

“I carried her,” Martin laughed as he recalled the reunion. “It was so exciting and we felt like we were reborn, starting over on the clean slate because we don’t know how to do life without each other.”

Even in this time of masks and social distancing, this couple is closer than ever.

Now travelers see the two walking hand in hand as they work to keep the airport clean together.

“It fills us with pride because I feel like its a blessing to be able to do good for humanity in this way,” Martin said.

We talk so much about distance during this pandemic. But as these two have proven, no form of distance can break true love.

“We feel so proud that our work is appreciated, and our love as well,” Villavicencio said.