Two long-lost sisters living in different countries have been reunited after 75 long years apart. Sheila Fry, from the UK, and Annie IJpelaar, from the Netherlands, both uncovered the identity of their Canadian father, who fought in World War II, and used MyHeritage DNA tests at home - which then led them to each other.
When they finally met in Holland, Sheila and Annie were both wearing almost identical blue dresses - just by chance. Annie's son Marc said: "There were challenges because they both had trouble hearing and the communication between them was funny, but they look the same, they have the same hobbies. It was amazing."
Sheila, who was adopted in the UK as a baby at the end of World War II in 1946, knew her biological mother's name but not her father's.
She knew he was a Canadian soldier who fought against the Nazis in Europe and returned home after the war.
When Karen Fry, Sheila's daughter-in-law, heard about her quest to unravel the mystery of her birth origins, she took it upon herself to search.
But after eight years and several challenges, Karen and Sheila believed they had hit a dead end.
"When I originally started the search, Sheila's adoptive parents were no longer alive and there was no way to verify the information," Karen explained.
Meanwhile in the Netherlands, Annie was also trying to uncover her family history. Annie was born just a few months before Sheila and grew up with her birth mother and stepfather.
Unaware that her stepfather was not her biological father, Annie didn't discover the truth until she overheard a conversation.
"In those days, it was shameful to talk about," Annie's son Marc said. "One day, she overheard a conversation between relatives and realised that something was wrong.
"She went to the closet in the house where documents were kept and looked for information and found documents indicating that she was adopted by her stepfather. Later, she found out her birth father's name from gossip she heard."
Annie's biological father was a Canadian solder who had fought in WW2 and participated in the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.
Although she knew his name and basic details about his life, Annie's attempts to locate him proved unsuccessful.
But Annie's son, Marc, made a breakthrough when a joke between cousins led to him ordering a DNA test, which connected him with Karen, and ultimately, his half-aunt Sheila.
"I suddenly see a message from a person I don't know, who lives in the Netherlands, asking me about his mother's father, who was probably a Canadian soldier who fought in the Netherlands," Karen recalled.
"He left a phone number, so I immediately called: 'This is exactly the information we also have!' I told him excitedly. 'There is a match!'"
Marc kept it to himself until the connection was verified, then told his mother the incredible news - who "had a hard time believing it was real".
After testing both sisters' DNA for confirmation, they arranged a video call, which was an emotional moment for Sheila and Annie.
"The situation was special, an amazing conversation," Marc said.
Then Sheila and her family travelled to Holland to meet face-to-face, where it was discovered they had chosen almost identical blue dresses for the occasion.
"The meeting between the families was a highlight," Karen said. "As soon as they saw each other, and despite the language barrier, they acted as if they had known each other all their lives.
"Since then we have been in regular contact and I am glad that I had the privilege of helping them close a circle after so many years. I knew I would find her."
Have you found a long-lost relative? Get in touch. Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
