Francisco Duarte, a 59-year-old paletero who spent three decades selling ice pops in South San Diego, was deported to Mexico after losing an eight-year legal battle to remain in the United States, according to a story by Alexandra Mendoza, published by The San Diego Union-Tribune. Known for his kindness and his cart’s familiar bells, Duarte became a local fixture in the Nestor and National City neighborhoods. Before turning himself in for deportation, he gave away his remaining treats in a heartfelt farewell that went viral, garnering over 2.3 million views on Instagram.

Duarte and his wife, Rosenda Pérez, were detained by Border Patrol in 2017, accused—but never charged—of human smuggling. Despite spending more than $100,000 in legal fees, their deportation orders were finalized this fall. With four U.S.-born children, including two Stanford students, Duarte said he leaves “grateful, not bitter,” and plans to open a small restaurant in Tijuana. “It was 30 fruitful years,” he said. “I made the most of every day and every minute.”