A man was able to hug his mother after eighty years thanks to a complex of sculptures that was solemnly unveiled on August 14 near the Coma-ruga thermal spring in El Vendrell, Tarragona province, Spain. These bronze images depicted an elderly person as a child with his mother.
Local artist Pau Arroyo Casals developed this complex to pay tribute to residents who came to the spring to drink water, according to a statement from the local administration.
As the artist specified, his inspiration was a photograph of the Nin Casanov family from 1942, in which they were playing with water from the spring. At that time, the Nin Casanov family ran the restaurant Petit Pascual opposite Lake Coma-ruga, where many visitors gathered on Sunday and holidays in the summer, similar to what happens now at the seaside cafe.
The photo shows Jaume Nin 'Clavetaire' at the age of six and his mother sitting on the steps. In addition to the honor of unveiling the sculptures accompanied by the mayor, Kenneth Martinez, Jaume Nin was able to hug his mother again after 80 years. The artist, quoted by Telecinco, noted that the man, who did not want to see the finished work before the opening day, was 'very excited' and looked 'obviously moved.'
The local organization emphasized that this decorative ensemble is intended to highlight the significance of the spring and thermal waters in the history of Coma-ruga and the municipality of El Vendrell. Furthermore, these sculptures complete the urban reconstruction program of the Coma-ruga center and heritage preservation projects that began in 2020 with the FEDER project, and then continued with a sustainable tourism plan, including the Germáns Trillas square, the Tabaris building, the music park, and the restoration of the architecture of the lake and the spring.
