Article content continued

“We’re a bit frustrated but also … we’re hopeful again that we will be able to see our daughter,” Fabic said.

In December, Fabic’s wife, Yunfei Li, accepted a job in Victoria and the family decided to move to British Columbia from Ontario, he said.

Fabic, Li and Chloe — all Canadian citizens — and Chloe’s grandparents, permanent Canadian residents, were to “be one big happy family” living in Victoria, he said.

The couple decided to “divide and conquer.” Fabic was going to pack up the Ontario home, while Li would find a place in Victoria.

“But during this time period it’s tough to take care of a 15-month-old baby as well and so my in-laws were planning to go to China anyway,” he said.

“We figured it would be a perfect time for Chloe to connect with the family that she had in China, celebrate the Chinese New Year and arrive in Victoria to a well-settled place.”

The whole family went to China at the beginning of December to settle Chloe in with her cousins. Fabic and his wife left in the third week.

About a week later, word of the new virus surfaced, he said.

“No one was concerned in the Wuhan area, so I didn’t pay too much attention to it. I certainly kick myself now.”

Fabic said he realized that he needed to get Chloe and her grandparents out as the city was being sealed off.

“We had organized a flight by the next day but the flights were already stopped.”

That’s when he started reaching out to the Canadian government.

“We’re wanting to get a quick decisive plan of action so we at least know what that next step is.”