The best feeling in the world and only you can experience it Thank you for sharing

Thanks for sharing this, you both look genuinely happy. Sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. That totally sucks, but glad you both made an impact in the other's life for the time given.

My mother reunited with her younger two brothers (she was the oldest of 8 and wow, there's a long story there as well) when I was around 14 years old. I wrote my uncles when they returned to Michigan after we met. One uncle stopped writing, and the other kept writing for a bit, then stopped as well and had since lost contact, never to speak or hear from them again. Several years ago I found out one uncle had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and was a victim of a drive by shooting in a not so pleasant area of town (don't know the backstory either). I heard this from his ex-wife who friended me on Fbk, and whom I met when I was 14. She stated my other uncle apparently was killed in jail. (No details given either.)

I have two older half sisters from my father's previous marriage. My father tried many times to stay in contact and have something to do with them, but his ex wouldn't allow anything, and apparently told her girls she'd rather they didn't contact him ever. When I was about 16, one of my half-sisters shows up and introduces her husband and child out of the blue. She knew all along where my father lived, that she had sisters, but was afraid to contact because of her mother's "rules." I babysat once or twice for her and her husband. I went to an amusement park with her. My full blood older sister wanted nothing to do with her as my half sister admitted to intentionally not contacting anyone after the age of 18. My younger full blood sister was too young to know enough and was definitely pleased to have more family. I wanted to pursue a sisterly relationship with her, and hoped that she could get her sister on board (my other half sister whose middle name is my first name). We fell out of contact seemingly fast. I don't recall whether it was because she moved or what. Recently I googled her name and was taken aback that her obituary came up. She had two boys, apparently. So they are out there somewhere, as is my other half sister.

The reconnection my father-in-law had with his family is a much brighter-happier and loving story. Suffice it to say he is now connected to his family he's not heard from or known of in 50 years.

I never have but my ex-wife was introduced to several half siblings at her fathers funeral. Don't think she kept in touch with any of them as she already has 8 full siblings. Being a father of one I am always shocked at men who have lots of kids and and often with more than one woman. But in college I had a friend who came from a family with over 20 kids who spanned over several marriages and remarriages and all the adults and kids managed to keep on good terms so that they were almost like a cult had they been isolated but they seemed better adjusted than many "normal" family of four.

It wasn't a reuniting, as such, but a similar experience. My mother came clean with me several months ago that the man I thought was my father and whose name I was given, is not actually my father. Apparently, my mother, enjoying a free-love hippie lifestyle (at least that's what I envision) enjoyed the company of another young man before deciding that my namesake-father was who she really wanted to be with.

He and my mother divorced quite a long time ago when I was a young adult, and I have been estranged from him for many years. He had sworn my mother to secrecy. She was never to tell me. Since I live with her as her caregiver, she finally decided this past year that it was silly to keep that information from me because it could be very important, health-wise for me as well as my son, to know out lineage in case there are hereditary medical concerns (there are none, thankfully). Besides, she pointed out, loyalty to that man was not something he deserved, anyhow.

This lead to discovering who my actual flesh and blood father is, and meeting a brother I never knew I had, a few months ago--almost 48 years later.

WOW...gg

Never have, but I imagine it would be quite emotional.

Sounds like you've had some great reunions! Congrats.

Reunited yes, lost yes. I will tell you the story one day.

Great share! Thank you.

Such a sweet picture, you both look so happy.

ETA: Now I have that song in my head...Thanks a bunch.