Sisters who were put up for adoption during WW II reunite after 75 years: 'We immediately connected'

After 75 years, the heartwarming reunion of two long-lost sisters who were put up for adoption at the end of World War II has finally come to fruition. The two sisters, Annie Ijpelaar and Sheila Anne Fry, were reunited by Sheila's daughter-in-law and Anne's son. They took it upon themselves to track their long-lost relatives and bring the sisters back together, reports Good News Network.

Sheila was adopted as an infant in 1946 in the UK and had no information about her birth parents. However, with the help of a DNA product, Sheila discovered that she had a half-sister living in the Netherlands. The half-sister was born just a few months after Sheila and had the same father.

Annie Ijpelaar, who had also been adopted in the UK, always knew she had a half-sister out there but had no idea how to locate her. The reunion was an emotional moment for both sisters, who had never met before. After 75 years of being separated, they finally got to see each other face to face.

They shared stories of their lives and learned about the family they never knew they had. The sisters expressed immense gratitude to their children for their efforts to bring them together. The heartwarming story of the reunion of Annie and Sheila serves as a reminder of the importance of family and the lengths loved ones will go to in order to reunite those who have been separated for far too long.

They took a DNA test, which confirmed their relationship and led to their long-awaited reunion. Reflecting on their first meeting last year, Sheila said, "It was like looking in the mirror and talking to myself. It was amazing." The sisters couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance they shared, from their physical features to their mannerisms.

They discovered that they shared a lot in common, including hobbies and medical conditions, which Sheila described as "very strange." Sheila always knew she was adopted, and her parents made her feel special by telling her they chose her. However, she had always wondered about her birth family and where she came from. The discovery of her half-sister, Annie, and the subsequent reunion, filled a void she had felt throughout her life.

The search for Sheila's birth father was an arduous and prolonged process that lasted eight years, with the family often feeling like they had hit a dead end. However, they refused to give up, driven by the belief that they would eventually find answers. Sheila's father was believed to be a Canadian soldier who fought against the Nazis in Europe and returned home after the war.

While the search for Sheila's father was ongoing, Annie was also embarking on a journey to uncover her own family history. She had found out that her stepfather was not her biological father and was determined to learn more about her roots. After overhearing a conversation between relatives and searching through family documents, Annie discovered that her biological father was a Canadian soldier who was part of the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

The discovery of their shared biological father was a momentous occasion for both sisters, as it would provide answers to long-held questions about their family history. It was an incredible coincidence that both sisters were searching for answers about their biological fathers at the same time and that their search led them to the same person. Marc, Annie's 50-year-old son, played a crucial role in reuniting his mother with her long-lost half-sister Sheila.

The breakthrough came when a joke between cousins led Marc to order a DNA test, and he was astonished to discover that his mother had a half-sister. After verifying the DNA connection by testing both sisters, Marc finally broke the news to his mother and arranged a video call in May 2022.

During their reunion, Sheila and Annie discovered they had a lot in common. "We both love to crochet, and we both knit and do crafts," Sheila shared. Despite the language barrier, the sisters quickly bonded over their shared interests and experiences. "We immediately connected," Annie recounted. "And although the language was a problem, it felt very natural to see and talk to my sister after all these years."