The end of Race Across the World left fans in tears as married couple Zainib and Mobeen Khan discussed adoption in a poignant chat.
Five pairs have been travelling across Canada racing to get to the end checkpoint first, and for orthopaedic surgeon Mobeen and psychiatrist Zainib their final journey was the most poignant.
The couple managed to snag a lift from truck driver Brett, who began making small chat about how they’ll be able to tell their children wonderful stories about their great journey.
Mobeen, 31, told Brett: ‘At home we’ve got a lot of contemplation to do and talking about what we want in life, and how much we want to raise a baby. Our issue has been that we’ve not been able to conceive.’
Brett had experience of adoption, and opened up about his personal history despite only just meeting his new companions.
‘I just want to share with you, if I could, not that I don’t have children, I have six children but I’m adopted.’
‘My mother and father could not have children. They adopted four of us,’ he explained.
‘We always grew up knowing, but quite honestly it wasn’t until I was about 11 or 12 that I understood what adopted meant. I thought I was just a special, cool kid because my parents always told me that I was more loved. I always felt that love, I always felt like I was theirs.’
Mobeen thanked the driver for sharing the information about his upbringing.
‘What I’m telling you is that adoption is the greatest expression of love,’ Brett added.
Zainib, 32, appeared moved by the narrative, and Mobeen became tearful. Brett even took off his spectacles to wipe away tears before telling the parents that the children ‘would never know any different’ if they just ‘show love.’
He remarked, ‘Maybe you were supposed to run into me,’ and Mobeen agreed saying: ‘I think so.’
The important conversation made viewers emotional: ‘Absolutely lost it at Zainab and Mobeen with the trucker. What a series! What a journey!’
‘This chat with Zainib and Mobeen has broken me,’ remarked another viewer. A third person simply commented: ‘Bawling.’
‘This was the moment of the series. Mobeen and Zainib won in so many ways,’ it was concluded by another Tweeter.
‘The last gentleman who gave Mobeen + Zainib a lift had me in tears, such wise words,’ noted another viewer.
That discussion in the car about adoption with Zainab and Mobeen had me in tears. I was rooting for them to win! What a great couple they are! #RaceAcrossTheWorld
— MancLass (@Manc_Gurl) May 10, 2023
They weren’t the only one ‘in tears’: ‘That discussion in the car about adoption with Zainab and Mobeen had me in tears.’
The trek from Vancouver, British Columbia to St John’s in Newfoundland and Labrador, finished when Tricia, 48, and Cathie, 49, managed to edge out the rest of the competition and earn the £20,000 cash prize.
However one viewer remarked: ‘Best bit of TV I have watched for a very long time, really happy with who won but the real winners are Zainib & Mobeen and I couldn’t be happier for them.’
Mobeen and Zainib followed in second place, with Ladi and Monique coming in third.
