A family sends a little part of the Rio Grande Valley to their military loved one.
The package arrived, but he's not able to get it, and it all centers around a signature.
Erica Perez and her family sent her 19-year-old brother Ricardo a little taste of the Valley for Christmas.
"Canned menudo to him is like home, and we sent him Mexican little candies like sal limones and stuff like that, and he loves these pickled sausages and we sent you know comfort food for him from the home from us," said Perez.
Ricardo is in the Airforce and stationed in North Dakota, but once his package from home arrived, he was in for a big surprise.
"Here's your package, and they tell him, 'hold on a second, are you 21?' and he's like, 'what do you mean am I 21, I'm 19,'" said Perez.
Perez said when she sent the package, she was asked if she wanted to require a signature.
"I said yeah, a signature is fine, and that's it. That's all I said a signature is fine," she said.
But Perez said she never chose the option that the signer be over 21.
"I figured it was just a regular signature," said Perez.
Now, because of the mixup, her brother won't be getting his Christmas gift.
"It's just a piece of paper saying, I cannot have my menudo. I have to be 21...wow," said Ricardo Perez, Sr.
Ricardo Rerez, Sr. said his son hasn't been home in a year, and the family put a lot of love in sending the treats.
"He was looking forward to getting this menudo and a little taste of the Valley," said Perez.
Eating menudo is a Christmas tradition in the Perez household.
Erica said she contacted FedEx and told them about the situation.
She was told FedEx would hold the package for two weeks, but that's all they can do for them.
The Perez family said they wish FedEx would just make an exception, so that Ricardo can eat menudo on Christmas day.
"Come on, just close your eyes and just give it to him," said Perez. "He's old enough to serve, he's old enough to pick up his own Christmas package."
They hope FedEx will chang their mind, so that Perez could get a bit of Christmas from the Valley.
Action 4 News called FedEx. They released a statement saying:
"Whether intentional or not, Ms. Perez selected the adult signature required option, requiring someone 21 years or older to sign for the package, and neither a shipper nor a recipient can change this service option on a package after it has entered the FedEx ground system."
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