Until last year, Ann Hunt didn't even know she had a sibling, let alone a twin sister.
But in what is now the longest time a set of twins has been separated – a huge 78 years – Ann and her sister Elizabeth Hamel have been reunited, having not laid eyes on one another since they were babies.
Born in Aldershort in 1936 to unmarried mother Alice Lamb, both twins were meant to be put up for adoption. But while Ann grew up with Hector and Gladys Wilson in Berkhamstead, a curvature of the spine meant Elizabeth wasn't suitable for adoption and she remained with her mother.
Ann found out she was adopted when she was 14, but never knew that she had a sister. It was only after her adoptive mother died in 2001 that she found her birth certificate and her youngest daughter began researching her family tree.
That was how, in 2013, Ann came to know about Elizabeth who was by now living in America. Eventually the pair made contact, and have just met for the first time in LA.
'I let Elizabeth speak mostly, I had to pinch myself because I realised, I've got a sibling, a sister, Ann told the BBC. 'It's so wonderful, I'm not on my own any more. I've got no words to say. I'm so happy - I have Elizabeth.'
Okay, someone pass us a tissue.
Picture: BBC
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.