Ariela and Biniyam get alarming news about their son, Avi.
Ariela made a hard decision on Sunday's episode of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way for the health of her and Biniyam's son, Avi. Avi needs surgery because he has a hernia, and Ariela decided to go back to New Jersey for the surgery, which given Biniyam's past, he was very much against.
During Avi's checkup, the doctor said he would need to have the surgery done as soon as possible, though it was a fairly common pediatrics procedure. Not surprisingly, Ariela was extremely alarmed. Ariela told Biniyam that there was a possibility she needed to take Avi back to the U.S., and Biniyam said he didn't want his son going for a small procedure.
"The fact that Ari doesn't want the surgery to be done in Ethiopia really upsets me," he told cameras. "I trust the doctors in my country. Maybe she doesn't trust them."
But Ariela said that despite Biniyam's ex-wife -- who's also American -- leaving Ethiopia with their child and never coming back, Avi was her first priority.
"I know Bini is going to be very apprehensive about me wanting to go back to the U.S because he can't go with me, because of COVID, they closed the American Embassy, and they're not granting tourist visa appointments," she explained to cameras. "He's already so traumatized from when his ex-wife and his son left for the U.S., and they never came back. But as much as I want to do what's best for Bini, ultimately I know I have to do what's best for Avi. And if that means going to America, then that's what I'm going to do."
Ultimately, Ariela made up her mind that she needed to go back to the U.S. for the surgery, and broke the news to Biniyam while he was getting a haircut at the barber's shop. Ariela explained that insurance would pay for the surgery in the U.S. and that her parents, who are both in the medical field, could watch over him. She also said she had already booked her flight and was leaving next week.
"Listen, I don't want to leave you either, if I could take you with me, I would," she told him, wiping away tears. "Even thinking about it makes me sad, I really don't want to leave you. I'm not trying to leave you, like, I thought about it really I have, I'm sorry, but I really have to do this. It's really important. I don't want you to hate me, like, I'm worried about it."
Biniyam was clearly heartbroken and said he needed time to think about it. He later begged Ariela not to go and said he would talk to any special doctor she wanted to, but her mind was already made up.
Later, they spoke to Ariela's mom, Janice, over the phone, who reassured Biniyam about Ariela's decision. While Biniyam said he felt a little better, he also told Ariela that she needed to break the news to his sisters that she and Avi were going back to America. His sisters, who already doubted Ariela over her close relationship with her ex-husband, Leandro, didn't have much faith that Ariela would return and pleaded with her that even if she hated them, to please let them continue to see Avi.
"I don't want to make you feel sad, you're my sister, you are a great sister-in-law but our relationship is f**ked up," Ariela told Biniyam's sister, Wish. "We have so many misunderstandings and my hope is that when I come back, we all can start over again. I don't want to take Avi forever. You'll see. When I come back, you'll see."
She also told cameras, "I understand that the entire family is traumatized by Bini's ex-wife leaving, but it's really hurtful that even after giving up my whole life in the U.S. and moving here to Ethiopia and trying to adapt to their culture, nobody trusts me."
ET spoke to Ariela and Biniyam in August, and Biniyam candidly talked about how his relationship with his ex-wife affected his relationship with Ariela. He said he at one point felt suicidal when his ex-wife left him.
"Like, with Ari I start again another American girl," he said. "And she's beautiful and she's talented. And then I don't want to lose her... And then I don't want to be hurt. Because when I lost [my ex], I'm so hurt. I'm so depressed. Even I tried to kill myself. So many things, situation in myself, so that's why I don't want it to happen with me inside. I don't want to lose her because I love her. She's given me a baby."
Meanwhile, Ariela and Biniyam clearly struggled when she went back to America. In a preview of this season, Ariela tells Biniyam that she and Avi will never go back to Ethiopia after what Biniyam has done to them.
"My son, he gets sick and I have to take care of that," Ariela told ET. "And then me and Biniyam really had to make a decision what was the best thing for Avi to do. And then me and Biniyam, we had a lot of really difficult moments this season. I think it's going to be really difficult for the both of us to relive it and to re-watch it."
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