Two elderly sisters who never knew each other existed have met for the first time.
Margaret Pegus, 88, was thrilled to embrace her ‘big’ sister Joan Mitchell, 101, saying it felt like she had her late mother back in her arms again.
The revelation came about when Joan’s daughter, Jan, started looking into their family tree and sent a letter to ‘the Flower family’ in Tasmania.
Her note read: My mother Joan was born to Ruby Flower in Hobart in 1916. She was adopted at five.
‘Scanning the note, I thought it was a mistake,’ Margaret told that’s life! this week.
‘My mum, Ruby, had never mentioned anything about having another daughter but the dates certainly added up.’
While Ruby had passed away many years earlier at the age of 82, Margaret said she had a childhood filled with love and that her mother was a true lady.
But she had never revealed anything to her family about having a daughter and putting her up for adoption years before.
Wanting to know more, Margaret contacted Jan and told her who she was.
Jan was blown away to discover she was talking to her own mother’s long lost sister.
‘I never expected to hear back so soon, much less from her sister!’ Jan told that’s life! magazine.
‘When she was finally reunited with Mum, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Mum and Margaret are so similar ad it’s great to see them together after all these years.’
Speaking of the touching reunion, Margaret said she was blown away by how much Joan reminded her of her mother.
‘Giving her a gentle hug, it was like having Mum back in my arms,’ she said.
To read more of Joan and Margaret’s amazing story, pick up a copy of that’s life! magazine – on sale now!