As the wife and I weather the crisis, and we are both pretty sick, myself especially, something happened that you read about happening to others, but never expect to happen to you. Until, suddenly, it does.
My wife was one of six. Her mother, one of 18(!), a French Canadian family. Their ancestor sailed with Jacques Cartier, to explore Canada and the St. Lawrence in 1534. Another ancestor was one of the first 20 French families to settle Quebec.
Sometime in the early 1900's, the family moved to Vt., where they owned a farm. Then to Woonsocket, RI. It was an Irish city, my own forebears lived there, but it became a French enclave, and French is still taught in their schools.
Anyway, my wife, Helen, and all 5 of her siblings were put up for adoption. For reasons too complex to go into here. My wife was eventually adopted by her mother's brother, so her adoptive father is her uncle. The oldest was Raymond. My wife grew very close to him, for the two years she knew him. He was killed by a mortar round at the battle of Dak To, Vietnam, 1967. To this day, my wife cannot watch or read anything about the Vietnam War.
The next oldest was John, who was raised by a relative of his mother. Next was Helen, raised by her mother's brother. The next two siblings were Anne and Peter. They were lost to their siblings, all anyone knew is that they were both adopted by a family in Westerly, RI. Anne was born 70 years ago, Peter about 68. The youngest was Steven, the only half brother, as he had a different father.
Over the years I have been with Helen, I have often thought "wouldn't it be wonderful if only Helen could find her lost siblings?"
Well, last week, her youngest brother Steven emailed her to say he had taken a DNA test, and that their sister, Anne, had been given a DNA test as a gift within the past month. And Steven found her!! He shared an email he received from Anne. She knew she had an older brother killed in Nam, but she did not know her other siblings even existed. We have exchanged emails, and a few phone calls. She still lives in Westerly, RI, with three grown sons, and three grandchildren. I was in near tears when I spoke to her. I told her I live now for the day I can watch my Helen hug her full sister for the first time in 70 years! Of course we have shared photos, including the first photos of her mother, and her mother's siblings, that Anne has ever seen. She is simply overwhelmed. We all are.
Peter is still missing, alas, and may be living in Canada, but that's all Anne knew. I am so happy for Helen, her brothers, and Helen's new sister! Helen thinks 70 years may be a record for the length of time before a reunion. I don't know, but it's a moment of supreme joy in the middle of these dangerous times. Something that happens to others has happened to us!
Here is my wife's ancestral 17th century homestead, still standing on the St. Lawrence, Quebec:
And here is the family ancestral home, in Normandy, France, also still standing:
My wife was one of six. Her mother, one of 18(!), a French Canadian family. Their ancestor sailed with Jacques Cartier, to explore Canada and the St. Lawrence in 1534. Another ancestor was one of the first 20 French families to settle Quebec.
Sometime in the early 1900's, the family moved to Vt., where they owned a farm. Then to Woonsocket, RI. It was an Irish city, my own forebears lived there, but it became a French enclave, and French is still taught in their schools.
Anyway, my wife, Helen, and all 5 of her siblings were put up for adoption. For reasons too complex to go into here. My wife was eventually adopted by her mother's brother, so her adoptive father is her uncle. The oldest was Raymond. My wife grew very close to him, for the two years she knew him. He was killed by a mortar round at the battle of Dak To, Vietnam, 1967. To this day, my wife cannot watch or read anything about the Vietnam War.
The next oldest was John, who was raised by a relative of his mother. Next was Helen, raised by her mother's brother. The next two siblings were Anne and Peter. They were lost to their siblings, all anyone knew is that they were both adopted by a family in Westerly, RI. Anne was born 70 years ago, Peter about 68. The youngest was Steven, the only half brother, as he had a different father.
Over the years I have been with Helen, I have often thought "wouldn't it be wonderful if only Helen could find her lost siblings?"
Well, last week, her youngest brother Steven emailed her to say he had taken a DNA test, and that their sister, Anne, had been given a DNA test as a gift within the past month. And Steven found her!! He shared an email he received from Anne. She knew she had an older brother killed in Nam, but she did not know her other siblings even existed. We have exchanged emails, and a few phone calls. She still lives in Westerly, RI, with three grown sons, and three grandchildren. I was in near tears when I spoke to her. I told her I live now for the day I can watch my Helen hug her full sister for the first time in 70 years! Of course we have shared photos, including the first photos of her mother, and her mother's siblings, that Anne has ever seen. She is simply overwhelmed. We all are.
Peter is still missing, alas, and may be living in Canada, but that's all Anne knew. I am so happy for Helen, her brothers, and Helen's new sister! Helen thinks 70 years may be a record for the length of time before a reunion. I don't know, but it's a moment of supreme joy in the middle of these dangerous times. Something that happens to others has happened to us!
Here is my wife's ancestral 17th century homestead, still standing on the St. Lawrence, Quebec:
And here is the family ancestral home, in Normandy, France, also still standing:
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