So excited

About 4 years ago my sisters and i were contacted by a long lost cousin who lives in Australia. She came to England with her daughter and we had a wonderful family reunion meeting up with a number of distant cousins some of whom we had been vaguely aware of. What is particularly wonderful is that 2 of my nephews have moved to Australia and one is marrying an Australian girl who he met while staying with our cousin. We are iall n touch on facebook and my sister will be flying out in the summer.

That’s so lovely. Well done on all your hard work.

A good friend of mine who knew she’d been adopted as a baby decided to trace her birth mother. After a lot of digging she discovered that mum sadly died only a couple of years earlier. However, the person who registered the death turned out to be her half brother.
After lots of emails and video calls, the two families met and have become great friends. The half brother had been an only child and although married, he had no children of his own so he was delighted to meet his big (older) sister, her children and grandchildren. He’s now as much a part of my friend’s family as if they’d grown up together, regularly going on holidays together etc.

Pleased all went well.

I have just received another phone call from the Aunt welcoming her newly found nephew to the family , so pleased , how nice to learn of other successes from tracing families, we need roots

What a lovely thing to happen Annie! A couple of years ago while researching his family tree my husband stumbled on someone in mine - a cousin I didn't know existed. We haven't met yet but have swapped photos and talk on FB. It's great to find family and learn about history you didn't know.

It's wonderful to have a breakthrough - but even more wonderful when it reunites someone with family!

Imagine going through life knowing your parents fought a custody battle for you age four , mother wins , father never seen again .

Now I must return to looking for g g g uncle William, have neglected him, born in 1834, I can assume he died ?

I found a half-cousin about five years ago. We all thought my father was an only child but in fact he was one of four, all of whom died quite young. I discovered that his half-brother had had a daughter and although I never met her, as she was very elderly and had dementia and has since died, I've met her daughter, who is about my age.

We spent a lovely afternoon together, swapping photos and stories. She had also found the location of our shared grandmother's grave and we went together to see it.

Unfortunately we live at opposite ends of the country so haven't met again but we swap news and are friends on FB, too.

It's a lovely feeling.

born in 1834, I can assume he died ?
Well, I did wonder about that relative of DH, wondering if he might turn up age 145

My brother (different father ) has recently found out who his father was and that he has two living siblings. He has contacted his brother who sadly wants no further contact and has asked my brother not to contact him or his family again. However he has provided a photo and some details about their father.

I've come late to this thread. What a lovely thing to happen Annie. Well done you for facilitating this reunion, it must have been so emotional - and so very satisfying - to know that you've been instrumental in bringing people together who would otherwise never have known each other. A truly heartwarming story

Thank you Bathsheba , it was a labour of love , in just several months this very special person now has a half sister, uncles and an aunt, cousins , the sad part was finding his father had died alone, estranged from his family , even his siblings didn’t know he had died, they assured me it was in a way a relief to know he was at rest and they are thrilled to welcome their brother’s son to their family. They will tell their newly found nephew about his father’s childhood and early adulthood , it has given this special person roots. I found his grandparents burial place and he went there last weekend, he was thrilled to know he had been given his paternal grandfathers name .

Lovely and extremely satisfying for you too Anniebach!

Update

After exchanging emails and messages for some time, the brother and sister are meeting today for the very first time, my tummy is churning.

How lovely to be the fairy godmother and bring this about!
More power to your magic wand ( and the love, dedication and hard work you put in!)

His wife is texting me - only 24 miles away now. How kind to tell me. My ulcer is doing cartwheels ?, I so want it to be right for him, he is the son I never had, I love him so much.

What wonderful news Annie - I hope the meeting goes well and it becomes a regular occurrence - also that you are credited with reuniting them after so long.

Willow, he will phone me this evening, they are staying in a hotel overnight back home tomorrow. They have never met , I just want them to like each other, I have given him their fathers family tree for his sister, she knows nothing of their father either. I found that the father and his family were in Derry on Bloody Sunday, this may help them understand he was a damaged man and they will think kindly of him .

It’s so emotional