BUFFALO, N.Y. —  Suzanne Weingarten and Oliver Collins began dating in March 2020 and just two weeks later, they were separated. It wasn’t that they had broken up, but instead they lived on opposite sides of the U.S.-Canadian border. Finally, after over a year, the couple reunited on the eve of Independence Day.

“You’re anticipating and planning for it for so long and for it to finally happen, it was a bit of a tear-jerker, I have to say," Collins said.

What You Need To Know

  • Suzanne Weingarten and Oliver Collins began dating last March; two weeks later, they were separated by the U.S.-Canadian border closure

  • They finally reunited on July 3, 2021 after Collins took a train, two buses, and two planes to make it to Buffalo

  • The couple is advocating for others separated from their loved ones to be able to reunite as they have

  • They rallied on the Fourth of July at Pat Sole Park, where the group Families Are Essential protests every Sunday

“It’s been so surreal to me because we’ve been so used to just having a virtual relationship,” Weingarten said.

Every Sunday, Collins protested in Fort Erie, Ontario, while Weingarten protested in Pat Sole Park with the group Families Are Essential. For Collins to be on this side of the border, it took a lot more time, effort and resources to cross the border than normal circumstances would require: a train, two planes and two buses for what would normally be a half-hour drive.

“I can fly in an airplane full of hundreds of people, but I can’t drive in my car by myself across the border,” Collins said. “That doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense by anybody’s measures.”

While the border closure was established to minimize the spread of the virus, many have criticized guidelines concerning what kinds of travel could be considered exceptions.

“I personally believed that maybe the border closure wasn’t such a bad idea," Collins said. "We had a global pandemic going on. However, there have been many, many exceptions for people allowed to use the land border, but one of them has not been families and loved ones? That just seems so contrary to me."

“It makes absolutely no sense why they wouldn’t consider families and people in relationships to be able to cross the border because, like our group says, families are essential," Weingarten said.

Instead of heading to an Independence Day cookout or a romantic lunch date, the couple took to Pat Sole Park on Sunday, advocating for others who haven’t been as fortunate as they are. They’re calling for the freedom for everyone to be able to do what millions of Americans are doing to celebrate the day: spending time and sharing space with their loved ones.

“If you’re meant to be, you’ll work it out, you’ll be together, and everything will be fine," Weingarten said. "Just try to have faith."