David Goldman and Sean Bound for the USA

Nine-year-old Sean Goldman arrives at the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro, hugging his Brazilian stepfather, Joao Paulo Lins e Silva. (AP Images)

What a Christmas it will be for Sean Goldman and his father David Goldman. Mobbed by cameras, Sean Goldman arrived at the US Consulate in Brazil and at about 10 a.m. today, he left downtown Rio de Janeiro, and sped away in police-escorted SUVs to the airport, where he boarded a private jet paid for by NBC, bound for the United States.

Thus ends a five-year custody dispute - and Goldman will spend Christmas and the rest of his life with his biological father David, who has spent years fighting for his son back.

Almost five years ago, Bruna Bianchi took her son Sean on vacation from New Jersey to her native Brazil. Her husband David was supposed to meet them out there. However, Bruna called David and told him she wanted a divorce. She then remarried into a powerful family of lawyers and abruptly died shortly after giving birth to Sean’s half-sister. The Brazilian family have since refused to relinquish custody of Sean and David has been fighting for him since.

With tomorrow being Christmas, Sean and David will have the day to reunite before NBC media coverage of their reunion kicks off on Monday. The Today Show has been covering the story for over a year. Hooray for happy endings! Bodog has  celebrity odds.  If you need an account,  Join Bodog today.