Brother and sister hold onto each other tightly after 80 years separated, and never want to let go
Please grab a box of tissues because this story will bring you to tears! Bill and Beryl, two siblings who were separated when they were kids, are finally reunited after being apart for a whopping 80 years.
Their heartbreaking story began when their father, Frank Stewart, was serving as a Merchant Marine aboard the SS Iron Crown in 1942. During a routine mission, the ship was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese, claiming Frank's life. Bill and Beryl were left orphaned as their mother had passed away just a few years prior.
As if losing their father wasn't enough, the siblings were forced to separate and go their separate ways. Bill was sent to a boy's home while Beryl was adopted by a new family. The years passed, and they both lived their own lives without knowing what happened to the other. But fate had other plans, and after a long and emotional search, Bill and Beryl finally found each other. Their reunion is a testament to the enduring power of family bonds that can withstand the test of time.
In the 1940s, experts believed children needed a “clean break” from any biological family members once adopted. For this reason, authorities blocked all of Bill and Beryl’s efforts to find one another.
“The two of us were looking for one another but didn’t get any help from the orphanage,” Bill said. “I would go back to Adelaide every year and look for Beryl.”
Beryl was also desperate to find her brother, but no one would help her either. “I gave up and started thinking perhaps he’s dead, but in my mind, I always thought one day we would find one another,” Beryl said in an interview with ABC.
Decades passed and Bill and Beryl had no clue how to connect. Miraculously, it was the discovery of the SS Iron Crown shipwreck that brought the two back together.
A memorial service was planned after the ships discover with more than 50 family member of the deceased in attendance. One of these was Kylie Watson, a distant relative of Bill and Beryl who was also working as a researcher helping lost family members find each other.
Watch the video below and see the incredible moment Bill and Beryl are finally reunited after 80 years.
You are currently reading about Brother and sister hold onto each other tightly after 80 years separated, and never want to let go. If you've found this helpful, please share Brother and sister hold onto each other tightly after 80 years separated, and never want to let go on your favorite social media site, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google+
