Pope tells family that drove from Argentina to see him in Philadelphia they're 'crazy'
When Catire Walker and his wife, Noel Zemborain, heard that Pope Francis was coming to visit the United States, they decided they were going to see him — even if it meant driving 14,000 miles from their home in Argentina.
With their four children, Walker and Zemborain left in March for their long journey, driving in a Volkswagen bus they named "Francisca." They say they met interesting people along the way, but it paled in comparison to meeting Pope Francis in Philadelphia on Sunday. Walker and Zemborain say when they met the pontiff, he looked and them and said: "You are the family that drove all the way from Buenos Aires? You are crazy."
The family shared a group hug with the pope, who thanked them for coming and asked that they pray for him. Zemborain said speaking to Pope Francis was like talking to a friend, and he told them it was important to have the "courage to go out and enjoy life deeply." The family said they had no idea they would meet the pope until Sunday morning, and it was the ultimate way to end their trip. "This is like the cherry on the cake," Walker said. Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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