An Indian-origin tech professional working in the US shared an emotional story of not being able to see his dying mother, saying he was stuck in a choice situation due to visa delays. He calls it “the biggest regret of my life”.“Gautam Dey works in the US on an H-1B visa and told on LinkedIn how his mother passed away from stage 4 lung cancer while he was still trying to secure a visa stamping appointment to travel to India.He wrote, “Today I am writing this not as an engineer, not as an H-1B worker… I am writing this as a son.”According to American Bazaar, he said his mother was hospitalized for 17 days and he made repeated attempts to gain travel approval during that period.“My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She was hospitalized for 17 days. During that time, I was desperate to get a visa stamping appointment so I could travel to see her,” he wrote.Dey moved to the US in 2007 after being recruited by a multinational company for specialized software work. He said he has spent years working under the visa system, paying taxes and building technology products.He said, “I’m not here to take a pay cut. I’m brought in for my expertise, to solve a serious software problem and fix vulnerabilities that need attention.”But as his mother’s condition worsened, he said administrative delays made travel almost impossible. They said leaving the US without a visa appointment risks serious consequences, including losing their job and legal status.He said, “If I travel without an appointment, I could be stranded outside the US for months. I could lose my job, my legal status, and my family’s status.”He described making repeated attempts to secure an emergency appointment.He wrote, “I sent the hospital documents to the Consulate. I tried for 26 days to get an appointment. I fretted, waited, prayed and hoped. But time did not wait.”a painful decisionDay said he was forced to make a painful decision between staying with his mother or protecting his family’s future in America.He wrote, “So I was forced to make an impossible choice: stay with my dying mother. Or protect the future of my children. No human being should ever be put in that position.”Ultimately he was unable to reach India on time. His mother died before he could travel.He said, “I could only see her through the phone screen. I could only hear her voice on the phone. This will be the biggest regret of my life.”In his post, Day said he was not blaming any country or system, but rather demonstrating the emotional toll of immigration processes.“This is not a political post. It is not about blaming any country.” This is a human cost that is rarely talked about,” he wrote.He added, “But a dream shouldn’t be caged at a time when your family needs you most.”He also offered advice to young professionals considering working abroad.He wrote, “To every young professional dreaming of H-1B life: Please think carefully. India is changing… You don’t have to measure success just by leaving home.”His post concluded: “Because no amount of career dreams will ever put you in a position where you have to choose between your mother’s final moments and your children’s future. I have lost that choice. And I will carry that pain forever.”