Kate Langbroek and her son Lewis flew to Melbourne from their adopted home town of Bologna, Italy, last month.
And on Friday, the radio presenter revealed the real reason for their trip was to visit her father, Jan, who is gravely ill.
The 54-year-old shared a touching photo to Instagram of Lewis, 16, comforting his grandfather.
Heartbreaking: On Friday, radio presenter Kate Langbroek (pictured) revealed the reason why she and her 16-year-old son, Lewis, returned to Melbourne from Italy last month
‘My son. My father. May we all have a kind hand at our back when we need it,’ she captioned the post.
The poignant image showed Lewis placing a supportive hand on Jan’s back as the old man leaned on a walker and made his way down a corridor.
The photo appears to have been taken at a hospital or nursing home.
Touching: She confirmed they had returned to spend time with Kate’s father, Jan, who is gravely ill. Kate shared this touching photo to Instagram of Lewis comforting his grandfather
Last month, Kate said on Fox FM’s Hughesy and Ed show that she had been granted special approval to visit Australia and return to Italy on ‘compassionate grounds’ due to her father’s condition.
‘We spoke to the embassy and we could come home on compassionate grounds,’ she said.
Kate, who was required to spend two weeks in quarantine upon her return, added that she was always allowed back into Australia as an Australian citizen, but the issue was leaving for Italy afterwards.
Her husband, Peter Lewis, other three children stayed behind in Bologna.
Special reasons: Last month, Kate said on Fox FM’s Hughesy and Ed show that she had been granted special approval to visit Australia and return to Italy on ‘compassionate grounds’ due to her father’s condition. Pictured: Jan Langbroek with Kate’s mother, Anne
She explained: ‘I just said [to immigration officials], “Look, I have to be able to see my dad and I also have to rejoin my family. I can’t be separated from them for the next six months or however long the lockout goes for.’
Kate, who had previously spent 10 weeks in lockdown in Bologna with her family, shared her joy with fans last month after she and Lewis were released from their mandatory 14-day quarantine in a Melbourne hotel.
On June 30, the media personality shared a photo of herself and Lewis wearing face masks as they travelled from the hotel to their next destination.
Safety first! Kate, who had previously spent 10 weeks in lockdown in Bologna with her family, shared her joy with fans last month after she and Lewis were released from their mandatory 14-day quarantine in a Melbourne hotel
An excited Kate wrote in the caption: ‘SO MUCH TO SEE!’
Days earlier, she and Lewis had passed a mandatory coronavirus test after arriving back in Australia from Italy.
At the time, she shared a photo to Instagram of herself enjoying a celebratory glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne, writing in the caption: ‘We passed our Covid test! Thanks @pullmanmelbourne… you’ve been so lovely – now you can kick us out!’
‘We passed our COVID test!’ Days earlier, she and Lewis had passed a mandatory coronavirus test after arriving back in Australia from Italy
Kate and her husband of 17 years, Peter, relocated to Bologna with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, 15, Artie, 12, and Jan, nine, in January 2019.
It was supposed to be a ‘family gap year’, but they decided to extend the break for an additional 12 months before coronavirus was declared a pandemic.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kate Langbroek for comment.
Family adventure! Kate and her husband of 17 years, Peter Lewis, relocated to Bologna with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie, and Jan, in January 2019. It was supposed to be a ‘family gap year’, but they decided to extend the break for an additional 12 months