In the Cedar Rapids Airport, a cell phone records the incredible shift of a digital friendship to a real one.

The video captures a blonde, curly-haired young woman quivering with excitement as a plane slowly travels down the runway. Soon, a similar looking blonde young woman rushes into the airport. Luggage flies out of the second girl’s hands as the two girls embrace in a flurry of tears.

The first girl is senior Leah Neiers. She is interacting with her best friend and longtime pen-pal Bailey Haberl in person for the first time.

Bailey Haberl is a seventeen-year-old from a suburb near Waco, Texas. Haberl and Neiers first met during a random Twitter exchange three and a half years ago. Their friendship grew through almost daily video messages and Facetime calls.

Their friendship stayed strong despite the distance between them. “I’ve known her for so long now,” Neiers said. “She is not only my best friend, she is my sister.”  

This past summer, their connection strengthened when Haberl stayed in Iowa with Neiers and her family for one month. During their stay together, they traveled to a variety of places, including Lost Island, the Delaware County Fair and an Ed Sheeran concert. Beyond these trips, they strengthened their bond by shopping, hanging out around Manchester, and going on extended camping trips together.

However, their time together wasn’t all fun trips and amazing adventures. They needed to manage the problems that arose from living together. “Sharing a room, more specifically a bed, with someone isn’t always the best thing,” Neiers said.

Despite the small bumps, Neiers and Haberl had difficulty saying goodbye on Aug. 3, the day Haberl returned home. “It really hit me after she arrived at the airport. When the time came to go through security, we were both sobbing,” Neiers said. “Having her around for a month and then having her go back home was pretty devastating.”

Next summer, Neiers plans to travel to Texas to live with Haberl’s family and experience life near a big city. Neiers believes that after not seeing Haberl for one year, it will be nice to see her summertime sister again.