After an incredible journey of 57 years, sisters Trish and June have joyfully reunited with their long-lost sibling, Geraldine, thanks to a surprising twist in their family history revealed through DNA testing.

Now in their 60s, Trish and June had always held a special place in their hearts for their older sister, Geraldine, who is over a decade their senior. When Geraldine was just four years old, her mother, Mary Wills, faced the heartbreaking decision to place her for adoption while living in a convent with a religious order of Catholic nuns. Mary later married Peter Wills in 1956 and welcomed three more children in Somerset, England, but the longing to find Geraldine never left Trish and June.

Despite their best efforts, the sisters were unable to locate Geraldine before their mother passed away from liver cancer in 2011. However, hope blossomed again when Trish gifted her daughter, Laura, an Ancestry DNA test for Christmas in 2023. Initially, the results didn’t yield any matches, but a delightful surprise awaited them just last month.

To their amazement, Geraldine had also uploaded her information to the same database, leading to a match that Laura described as “without a doubt.” On April 1, Laura reached out to Geraldine via email, ensuring her that this was no prank.

Trish, a writer from Somerset, shared her initial disbelief: “I thought Laura was playing April Fool’s on me – turns out Geri thought the same thing too.”

The sisters connected through a video call before their long-awaited in-person reunion occurred two weeks ago in Somerset, where they experienced an overwhelming sense of love and connection. Trish expressed her emotions beautifully, stating, “Meeting for the first time was emotional, and I felt an instant feeling of love for Geri.” She marveled at how alike they looked and how they all shared the same laugh, feeling as though their mother was present in spirit, celebrating this joyous moment.

“Having Geri in my life is something I’ve always wanted,” Trish continued. “June and I had always been told about Geraldine, but we hadn’t been able to track her down.”

Geraldine, too, expressed her astonishment at the discovery. “I couldn’t believe it when Laura said she’d found Geri. It’s just a shame we couldn’t do it when Mum was still alive.”

While the sisters were eager to learn about their mother’s past, they also uncovered some poignant family history. They learned that Mary had been a survivor of the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in County Cork, Ireland, where many mothers faced harsh treatment and were often forced to give up their children for adoption.

Reflecting on this emotional reunion, Trish remarked, “I never thought we’d find her, and I never thought we’d be like a Long Lost Family episode.” The sisters visited their mother’s grave together, cherishing the moment, and they are now planning a trip to Ireland to explore their roots and celebrate the new memories they are creating together.

This beautiful reunion is just the beginning of a new chapter filled with love, connection, and the joy of sisterhood.