
Episode 4
Season 7 Episode 4 | 45m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
Two people searching for answers to family secrets are revealed in this episode.
Featuring two people searching for answers, a woman who only discovered two years ago that she had an older sister, and a man desperate to find the father he has never met.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

Episode 4
Season 7 Episode 4 | 45m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
Featuring two people searching for answers, a woman who only discovered two years ago that she had an older sister, and a man desperate to find the father he has never met.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[Davina] For thousands of people across Britain, someone is missing from their lives.
[woman] I don't know her, but she's my mum.
She gave me life, and I need to know who that person is.
[woman] My son is out there somewhere.
If I could just see him for once, and tell him that I love him with all my heart.
[man] He's my brother.
I'm part of him, he's part of me, and if before I pass away I could find him, I'd go to Heaven happy.
Finding someone when the trail's gone cold can feel like an impossible task.
But that's where we step in... -We've found your dad.
-Really?
[crying] That's so good to hear.
...offering a last chance to people desperate for help...
They found him.
Oh!
Oh, my god.
Oh... my god.
[Nicky] From DNA technology to painstaking detective work-- We've travelled the world, uncovering family secrets and tracing people that no one else could find.
Are you Nten?
Yes, this is Nten.
Oh, my god.
[crying] She's so beautiful!
-How are you?
-[crying] [Davina] ...and finally answering questions that have haunted entire lives.
I'm glad you've found us.
[crying] I'm sorry it took so long.
This week, two people searching fo r answers to family secrets-- A woman who only discovered she had an older sister two years ago... [woman] It was there in front of me, in black and white.
My mum had had a baby before I was born, and I knew nothing about it.
...and a man desperate to find the father he's never met.
[man] I need some answers about where I've come from, and I've wanted that every single day of my life.
[dramatic music ends] [Davina] Our first story comes from Hertfordshire and a woman searching for the sister she didn't know existed for 50 years.
[whimsical music playing] [woman] I'd been an only child all my life.
And then, suddenly, I found out that I had a big sister.
She was kept a secret.
Where is she?
And why didn't I know about her?
Alison Holderness lives in Stevenage.
Look at this.
Married to Gregg, she has two grown-up sons.
[Alison laughs] Alison was born in Oxford, the only child of Bill and Barbara.
You've got a little quiff.
[Alison] Yeah.
[laughs] I was so lucky.
I had a brilliant childhood.
I was so close to my parents.
I never felt lonely, I was just an only child to Barbara and Bill, and we were a tight unit.
Alison's mother, Barbara, died in 1996, and her father, Bill, in 2015.
It was only then that Alison made an extraordinary discovery.
[Alison] I went to his house to start sorting through all of the documents that are left when someone dies.
I went upstairs to his bedroom, I opened the bedside table, and there was a wallet-- a black, leather wallet.
I opened it, and there were some photos that I hadn't seen before.
Straightaway, I thought, "Oh, there's me and Mum."
Mum looks so proud and so happy in the photos.
But when I turned them over, on the back, it says "Amanda."
Then, when I saw the date, 1951, I began to realize that Amanda was my mum's baby, my sister, someone that I never knew existed.
I was absolutely dumfounded.
I felt almost numb.
I couldn't understand why Mum had never told me.
We were so close.
She'd had plenty of opportunity to tell me.
And she never did.
And that hurts.
When Amanda was born in 1951, Alison's mother, Barbara, was living in Oxford.
Mum was a hairdresser.
She used to work with students from the Oxford colleges.
She was 19 when she fell pregnant.
She wasn't married.
I think she would've been scared about what was going to happen.
Among her mother's belongings, Alison discovered a letter from the baby's father-- a student at the university.
It revealed that they were torn over the baby's future, who they affectionately called "Bump."
"My dear Barbara, I think the answer is to consider what is best from Bump's angle-- which course will give her the best chance in life."
At the time of this letter, she hadn't made up her mind.
[tearful] She doesn't know whether she wants to keep her... or whether she wants to let her go.
Mum wants to give Amanda the "best chance in life."
I hope she did.
Amanda's birth certificate confirmed the painful decision her mother took.
[Alison] At the very end, it says "adopted."
I don't know any more than that, that's-- that's it.
Part of me thinks, if only we could have all been together.
[tearful] I say it, and I get this lump in my throat.
I'd love to find her.
She's my big sister.
But I have this fear that Amanda's not going to want to know me.
That she'll feel that she wasn't wanted.
You know, your birth parents gave you away.
And that's a big fear.
[tearful] I've got to find her, and I need to know that my mum made the right decision.
[Nicky] When she was adopted, Amanda's name would have been changed.
So, to find out her new name, we needed to work with a qualified intermediary, someone who is legally allowed to access these records.
They gave us our first big clue-- Amanda was now called Elizabeth Jane Furzey.
So, we trawled records in the UK, but all our searches drew a blank.
[dramatic musical note] There was no trace of El izabeth Jane Furzey anywhere.
So, we decided to search for Elizabeth's adoptive parents instead.
They'd both passed away.
So, we decided to publish an appeal in their local paper, and a family friend came forward with vital new information about Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was known by her middle name, Jane.
And our searches over here had drawn a blank, because she was now living abroad... in Ethiopia.
This is Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, in East Africa.
We'd found out that Jane had be en working as a teacher here.
But we couldn't find any up-to-date contact details for her.
[Nicky] Can I have a macchiato, please?
So, we put the word out among the expat community that we were looking for her.
And that is when we had a breakthrough.
A woman came forward and told us that Jane had taught her son.
And she put us in touch.
I'm on my way to meet Jane at her home on the outskirts of the city.
[Nicky] Bole Road, thanks.
For Alison, finding out she had a sister came as a total shock.
But how will Jane be feeling?
Did she know anything about her birth family?
And how will she feel about having a sister?
[dramatic music playing] Jane is married to an Ethiopian, Ahmed.
The couple, who have two children, left the UK more than 20 years ago to settle here, in Addis Ababa.
[Nicky] Jane.
-Hello!
-Nicky Campbell.
Welcome to Addis.
Nice to meet you.
Come on in.
[Nicky] Thank you very much.
This is lovely.
[Nicky] So, how much of a surprise has it been, finding out you have a sister?
Huge, amazing.
You have no idea.
I thought it was a scam to begin with, and then when I realized it was for real, I just couldn't believe it.
So, tell me about your own childhood.
My own childhood was fabulous.
I was very happy.
The only slightly sad thing was that I didn't have any brothers or sisters, so I grew up as an only child.
So, when did you find out you were adopted?
I've always known, and it was always very much put across as... "We chose you.
You were special."
And did you ever think of searching for your birth family?
Yes, I did... a lot of times.
But deep down, although I'd been very happily adopted, if I'm totally honest, I think I was frightened of being rejected, or being not wanted again.
I've got something very special to show you-- your mother holding you.
That's not me?
My goodness.
That's beautiful.
I can see from the love shining out of her eyes, she didn't want to give me up.
It's very sad that I shall never actually get to meet her, but I think I'm going to be just as pleased to meet Alison, give her a big hug, and take it from there.
Do you have a picture of Alison?
-Yes, I do.
-[laughs] There's your sister.
Wow!
So, a sister and a mum... just like that.
It's incredible.
I can hardly put it into words.
Somebody that's actually... related to me.
Alison's written a letter.
"My dearest Amanda, Hello!
I have a big sister after being an only child for 52 years, woo hoo!"
[Jane laughs] "Our mother was 20 when she put you up for adoption, to give you 'the best chance in life.'
I give you my love.
Hope that your childhood was as happy as mine, and your life is fulfilled.
Much love, Alison."
I'm just so, so happy that she came looking for me.
Alison's an only one, and I'm an only one.
So, now, we're not only ones.
[upbeat music playing] [rooster crowing] [Amanda] You have to see these.
That is my birth mum.
Oh, my god!
-Yes!
-Is that you?
That's me.
[laughs] [husband] Boy!
[laughs] Beautiful, beautiful.
And then, underneath, that's Alison.
That's Alison.
Let me see.
The same cheek, the nose, black hair-- which I-- which I knew when we met.
Amazing!
Mm.
You've come full circle, you know-- lovely.
[Amanda] It is!
[laughs] [sentimental music playing] [Davina] Before we tell Alison her sister's been found... Our second search comes from Yorkshire and a man haunted by not knowing his father.
[sentimental piano music playing] [man] Forty-odd years, I've been searching for my father.
I need a connection to him, a sense of belonging.
I've wanted that every single day of my life.
[woman] Can't believe he's five weeks.
I bet Scott knows he's five weeks.
He's alright now-- he settles a lot better.
[Davina] Builder John Ayton lives with his wife Clare, near Wakefield.
You're a little love, aren't you, a little love.
He has two grown-up sons from his first marriage and recently became a grandfather for the first time.
[John] I love being a proud grandfather to Alfie.
It brings joy to my life.
I'm a family man, and I want to make sure my family feel loved, because, as a child, I didn't have that.
John was brought up in the village of Meltham, near Huddersfield.
For some reason, I didn't feel part of that family.
I felt as though I was unloved and unwanted.
My mum would say things like, "If you don't behave, we'll send you back."
And I'd say to her, "What do you mean, Mum?
What do you mean?"
It was only when he was 13 that John discovered what his mum meant.
Signing up to his local football team, he was asked to bring his birth certificate as proof of age.
We were all stood there, waiting in turn to register.
And it came to my turn, and he opened out the certificate in front of him, and I could see straightaway from his look on his face there was something different to the other boys' birth certificates.
I asked him if everything was okay.
He said, "Oh, yes, it's fine.
You're adopted, aren't you?"
And I just thought, "What did he just say?
I'm adopted?"
Reality changed that day for me.
I just remember thinking, "Where are my real parents?
Are they alive?"
But the biggest issue was, "Why-- why am I not with them?"
Looking for answers, John applied for his adoption file.
My mother was called Marlene, Marlene Munro.
She was 17 years of age.
My father's name was Kenneth Harrison, 22-year-old.
But no date of birth.
With this basic information, John started to search for his birth parents.
He came to this library in Huddersfield and began to comb through birth, marriage, and death records.
I went through microfiche after microfiche, not finding anything in relation to my mother or father.
After several weeks, John made a breakthrough.
I found my mother, Marlene.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
I could see that my mother had died at the age of 19.
It was just very difficult to take.
My thoughts turned towards my father.
There was a chance that he was still alive.
But with only scraps of information to search with, John has been unable to find any trace of his birth father.
His name was Kenneth Harrison.
He was a plumber in Manchester.
That's all I know.
But he's my father.
I want him to say, "You're my child" and accept me.
I've always needed that connection, that sense of belonging.
And I just hope that he-- he's got... some love in his heart for me.
[Nicky] When John came to us, the only facts he knew were his father's name and that he'd been 22 when John was born, in 1959.
So, we started by searching for a Kenneth Harrison, born around 1937.
[Nicky] But that brought up over a thousand potential matches.
We needed to narrow the search.
So, we turned our attention to Manchester, where John was born, and began a painstaking trawl through birth, marriage, and death records.
It took us over 18 months.
Finally, we found someone we thought might be him, a plumber called Kenneth J. Harrison who was born in Stockport in 1936.
This Kenneth had passed away more than ten years ago, so we had no way of knowing if we'd found the right person.
But we did know that he had other children-- a daughter now living in Bulgaria, and a son, Stephen.
Had we found the right Kenneth Harrison, and if so, was this John's half-brother?
The only way to be certain was to ask Stephen to take a DNA test.
If his DNA matched John's, we'd know we'd found the right man.
[dramatic music playing] Stephen lives in Poulton-Le-Fylde, a market town near Blackpool.
We contacted him, and he agreed to take the DNA test.
I wonder how Stephen feels about all of this?
Is having a possible new brother like a bolt from the blue?
And having taken a DNA test, how will he feel now that the results are here?
Stephen is the father of three girls from his first marriage, and he's engaged to his long-term partner, Sue.
I'm bringing him the results of the DNA test, so we can find out if he is John's brother.
[dramatic music stops] -Afternoon.
-Hi, Nicky.
-Stephen.
-Pleased to meet you.
-You too.
-Come in.
[Nicky] So, when we contacted you, how did you feel?
I couldn't really believe what I was hearing.
It was quite, umm... a shock.
And I just thought, "Wow!"
I had no idea.
-No idea about John.
-Yeah.
So, I spoke to my mum.
My mum wasn't as shocked as I thought she would have been.
-Really?
-She went, "Oh, right, just before me and your dad got married, he said, 'I've got another child.'"
But my mum said that nothing was ever discussed again about that.
He'd said it once?
-Yes.
-How did you feel?
If my father had another child by somebody, then... fantastic.
You know, they can sort of share our life as well.
We don't know yet, but I've got the test results here, the DNA test to see if you are half-brother with John.
What's it say?
"I'm now enclosing my report of the DNA investigation performed from the samples taken from Stephen Mark Harrison and John Ayton.
In my opinion, these results offer strong evidence that you and John are closely related as half-brothers, sharing the same father."
[sighs] Wow!
It's a lot to take in.
Yeah, it... [raspberry] it has blown me away slightly about it all.
I can't [laughs]-- I can't believe I've got an older brother.
Dear me!
Obviously, John's been searching for Kenneth.
For my dad, Kenneth.
And, uh... Have you got a photo of your dad?
Yeah.
There you go.
So, that's me mum and dad's wedding.
-I like the quiff.
-[laughs] [Nicky] Were you close to your dad?
[exhales loudly] That's a good question, that.
I felt I was very close to him.
He was very, very affectionate, but then he got divorced from my mum.
-How old were you?
-About 8.
And then, he just disappeared.
-Disappeared?
-Just disappeared.
I had no idea where he was.
-What was that like for you?
-Devastating.
I missed him a lot.
So, I went searching for my dad, and it took me ten years to find him.
So, when John says, "My life was difficult with my parents," I wondered what it would have been like if I'd been with my dad..." You would say it was difficult too?
Mmm, yeah.
You've got a lot in common there, I think.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think we probably have.
Have you got a photo?
That's what he looks like.
Wow!
It's partly looking at my father.
[laughs] Yeah, the eyes.
His eyes are definitely the same.
Definitely.
Wow.
It's great, 'cause he's part of us.
He won't be my half-brother, he will be my brother.
You'll be able to tell him about your dad.
Yeah, and he'll get the full picture from me.
-"What was my dad like?"
-Yeah.
We can go to the pub.
[laughs] Just the two of us.
[Davina] We'll tell John the news about his dad away from the cameras, but before we tell him he has a brother... Alison Holderness came to us searching for her half-sister, Amanda, who her mum gave up for adoption before Alison was born.
We found her sister living in Ethiopia, and I'm on my way to give Alison the news.
[Davina] Finding out she had a sister was a big shock for Alison.
And ever since then, she's been desperate to find Amanda, so she can begin making up for the time that they've missed spending together.
And now, she can, because her sister's been found.
[whimsical music playing] -Hi.
Hello, Davina.
-How are you?
-[Alison] It's good to see you.
-And you.
-How are you doing?
-Fine, come on in.
[Davina] Thank you.
So, how much of a surprise was it to find out you had a sister?
I was totally shocked.
I couldn't believe it.
I was almost numb with shock.
But my fear is that if I was lucky enough to find her, and she turned round and said, "Well, actually, I don't really want to know..." I-- I'd get that.
She does want to be found.
Have you found her?
Yeah, she's been found.
-Is she alright?
-Yeah she's good.
[laughs] I've got a big sister!
And she wants to meet?
Yes, she does.
Oh, my goodness!
She was also an only child.
Oh, wow!
And she had a really happy childhood.
Such a fantastic adoption.
Brilliant.
So, Mum made the right choice.
-She really did.
-[sniffs] Oh, I'm so happy.
[laughs] She's not called Amanda anymore... -No?
-She's called Jane.
Oh, lovely.
Oh, wow.
-Do you want to see a picture?
-I'd love to.
That's your sister.
Oh, wow.
[laughs] Oh, she's beautiful.
Oh, my goodness, hello.
If you go like that, that could be my mum.
[laughs] -Where is she?
-Well, there's a story.
-Oh, go on.
-She is in Ethiopia.
Oh, my goodness!
What's she doing out there?!
She married an Ethiopian.
They met over here, and they fell in love.
They've got two grown-up kids.
Oh, how lovely.
Here, she wrote you something.
[Alison] Oh!
[laughs] Oh, hold on.
[exhales sharply] Right.
Right, a deep breath!
"Dear Alison, It was quite amazing and wonderful to learn that I have a sister-- a real sister!
It's just a fantastic feeling in my heart.
Especially important is the fact that you have come looking for me.
Now, all these years on, I shall just be so pleased to meet you and give you a big hug.
[laughs] For so many years, I have been an only one, and now no more.
Love, Jane (big sister, eh ?
?!)"
[laughing] Oh, that's fantastic.
Oh, mwah.
I can't wait to meet you.
[laughs] I'm so excited!
[laughing] [whimsical music playing] John Ayton came to us searching for his birth father, Kenneth Harrison.
We spent over 18 months searching for Kenneth, only to find that he'd passed away.
We've told John the news away from the cameras.
[Davina] It's devastating news.
John's not going to get to meet his dad.
But I just hope that finding out that he has a brother will help him get that family connection that he craves.
-Hey, John.
-Hello.
-How are you?
-Nice to see you.
[kiss] -Come in, Davina.
-Um, thank you.
Thanks very much.
I'm really, really sorry that we couldn't bring you better news.
How have you been?
I don't think you're ever totally prepared for it, to hear that your father's died, but it's been really tough.
I think I'll need time to grieve.
But looking back at what happened with my mother, at least I know he's had some kind of-- [sighs] let's hope a full life.
I have got a photo of him.
[crying] [Davina] Here's your dad.
[crying] [John] Oh, my goodness.
You've no idea what that means to me.
That's the first-ever photograph I've seen of any member of my family.
So, he lived most of his life in Manchester.
[John] Did he?
-He stayed a plumber.
-Okay.
And he died when he was 68.
Wow.
It's really, really strange-- it feels like looking in the mirror.
I mean, I can really see the likeness.
-Can you?
-Oh, my goodness, the eyes.
[John] What's happened to that hair?
[laughs] -Wedding day, by the look of it.
-Yeah.
He was married three times.
Okay... You've got... a brother and a sister.
Your brother, Stephen, lives just outside of Blackpool.
And your sister lives in Bulgaria.
-Really?
-Yeah.
Wow.
[Davina] Here's your brother.
[John crying] Oh, my goodness.
He didn't know about you.
Wow.
He's really thrilled, though.
That's great.
That's really, really great news.
[Davina] He's written you something.
Here.
[John] "Dear John, The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, to find out that I have an older brother!!"
Exclamation mark, exclamation mark.
"I would be overjoyed to share the details of our dad's life.
I had some similar issues about finding my dad as you have had.
I didn't see him for over ten years."
Oh, wow.
"I'm looking forward with excitement to meeting you and your family, so that we might become firm friends and brothers."
Good man.
Very good man.
I feel calm.
I feel belonging.
And that, for me, is what I've missed.
That's what I've really missed, is a sense of belonging.
There's a lot of catching up to do.
A lot.
-[John] Hi, darling.
-Hi.
I've got some news, sweetheart.
I've got a picture of my dad.
No!
[laughs] Oh, my God, I can see you!
-Can you?
-Yeah.
Just to have a picture... And he's got a family.
Do you want to see a picture of my brother?
Oh, wow.
I'm so pleased.
I love you.
Oh, babes.
[upbeat music playing] Today, just a few days after finding out he has a brother, John's going to meet Stephen for the first time.
[John] I'm thinking about my father all the time.
I keep looking at his photograph, and it's with me now.
Obviously, I have no chance of seeing him ever, but it's great, great, great news to have a brother.
I'm very excited.
It's the start of my life again.
I can't wait to meet him.
-Very smart.
-Thank you very much.
-You all ready?
-[laughs] John's brother Stephen and his fiancée Sue have traveled from their home in Lancashire.
I'm a bit apprehensive.
You'll be alright, and I'll see you later, yeah?
Meeting my brother I never knew I actually had, I know it's going to be quite emotional.
[Stephen] We are blood, and I'm hoping we're going to be really good friends.
I can't wait.
Stephen's going to meet his older brother at one of John's favorite pubs in the Yorkshire Dales.
[restaurant chatter] Go and meet your brother.
Oh, darling.
[kisses] -[Clare] I love you.
-Love you.
I'll see you.
[sentimental music playing] [Stephen] How are ya?
[John] I'm good.
-You alright?
-I'm better now.
[Stephen laughs] I'm so happy-- I'm so happy that you're here, because I don't have any blood family where, ya know-- I've never experienced anything like this before.
No, it's mutual.
[laughs] I had no idea I had a brother.
-Absolutely no idea at all.
-You'd none whatsoever?
None.
You do look like Dad a lot.
Your forehead, your eyes.
You do look like him a lot.
How do you find that?
[pfff] I'm ecstatic about it, and I know my sister will be as well.
-Alright?
-That's great.
-I have got some photos.
-Have you?
[Stephen] That's our sister, Gaynor.
Oh, wow.
That is really, really good.
That is really nice.
At last I've a connection with someone who has the same blood as me.
-[Stephen laughs] -[crying] -[Stephen] You alright?
-Yeah.
Come here.
[Stephen] You're fine.
It's okay.
It's such a warm, deep, nice feeling I've got inside.
[John] We do click, and it's lovely that we do.
When John stepped through the door, it was like seeing my father.
[Stephen] Straightaway, it was just family.
I feel as though I've always known him.
-[John] Love you.
-Love you more.
[laughter] [Stephen] I'm getting married very soon.
I've actually reserved two places at the wedding for John.
I've not asked him yet, so I'm going to ask him later on tonight, probably, [laughs] and see what he says.
-Cheers.
-All the best, mate.
You too.
[John] I just wanted some feeling of belonging.
And it's really nice to be able to call somebody "brother."
[John] It's lovely.
[both laughing] And I must stop smiling, but I can't.
Alison Holderness discovered two years ago that she had a sister she knew nothing about.
Today, she's going to meet Jane for the first time.
-[Davina, laughing] Hello.
-How are you?
I'm good, and you?
You ready?
-Yes, I can't wait.
-Okay, let's go!
Come on, let's go!
[slow, swelling music] Jane has flown from her home in Ethiopia, over 3,000 miles away, to meet her younger sister.
Thanks very much.
-Hi, Jane.
-Hi, Nicky.
How was the flight?
[Jane] Fine, fine.
-[Nicky] Good to see you.
-Good to see you!
[Nicky] Here we are now, a long way from Addis.
Are you nervous?
Very.
Very.
And also, I've never been as excited as this before.
-Yeah.
-It's huge, absolutely huge.
What's it going to be like, you know, suddenly meeting somebody where you're related?
[upbeat music playing] So, how are you feeling about today?
Oh!
Excited, nervous.
Oh, just can't wait.
I so want to make a good impression.
-Oh, do you?
-[laughing] Yes.
It means so much to me.
I just want to live up to little sister expectations.
I don't know what that is.
I haven't had a sister before.
[Davina] Jane and Alison are meeting at a country hotel just outside Oxford, the city where their mother, Barbara, grew up.
Nicky, goodbye.
[laughs] -Good luck!
-Thank you.
-[Davina] Exciting!
-Yes, it is.
It is.
So, I'm going to say goodbye here.
-Okay.
-Your sister's through there.
-Good luck.
-Thank you.
[Alison] Oh, thank you.
[Davina gives a kiss] Good luck.
-Goodbye.
-Bye-bye.
[sentimental music playing] Hello!
[laughs] Hello, big sister.
[both laughing] [Jane] Oh, it is so good to meet you!
[Alison] It's so lovely to meet you too.
[both crying] After all this time.
I know.
-Aren't we lucky?
-Aren't we lucky?
Aren't we lucky to have each other?
Very lucky.
Come on, let's sit down.
We're both shaking.
[Alison laughs] [Alison sighs] I'm so glad we found you.
Thank you for looking.
That meant so much to me.
-We're both only ones.
-Yeah.
And now, we're not.
Because I have you.
-Mm.
-And you've got me.
I want you to share my life.
But I don't want to intrude on your life if you don't want me to.
I'd love you to be part of it.
Thank you.
Why do you think our mum kept it a secret?
I don't know.
I can't answer that, because she never told me.
But she must have thought about you.
I'd like to believe that she wanted us to find each other when she wasn't there.
We're here now.
We're here now.
We're here at the start of something new.
Yes, at the start of the rest of our lives together.
Absolutely.
Oh, give us a hug.
[both laugh] [Jane] Oh, my.
Immediately, she went from being a stranger to just being my sister-- just part of me, part of the family.
I just want to hug her and hold her.
I will be the best little sister I can.
You're so much like our mum.
-Really?
-Yeah.
Beautiful.
-This is Mum... this is you.
-Oh!
-[Jane] We do look alike.
-You do.
[both laugh] I feel like, without realizing it, for my whole life, I have been waiting for this day, to meet my sister, Alison.
Ooh!
[laughs] That feels fantastic.
Oh, I've got something to give you.
This is where it all started.
The black wallet.
This is yours.
This has been kept safe until we've met.
That's incredible.
[Alison] It's just amazing.
I've met that beautiful little baby in the photo.
-[Jane chuckles] -I've met my sister.
I love this one, because Mum did your hair and my hair in this quiffy Mohican.
-[laughs] -We're so alike.
[Jane] It's just so nice, isn't it, to have somebody to say, "That's my sister."
-Yeah.
-That's my sister.
That's my sister.
[both laugh] [Davina] Next time on Long Lost Family... a daughter longing for her father, who disappeared from her life before she was born... [woman] I just want my dad, and it hurts not having him in my life.
...and a man looking for the brother he didn't know existed for nearly 40 years.
[man] He was a family secret, and back then, I think secrets remained secret.
[peaceful music playing]
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