An extraordinary and heartwarming reunion took place when 80-year-old Sonya Grist met her birth mother, 98-year-old Gerda Cole, for the very first time—an event that came as a delightful surprise for everyone involved. The touching meeting was made possible by the determination of Sonya’s son, Stephen Grist, who, during the Brexit and pandemic periods, set out to uncover his mother’s birth parents as part of a process to apply for Austrian citizenship.

Sonya had long believed her birth mother had passed away, as her adoptive parents had kept her birth details secret, and her own search had been unsuccessful. However, Stephen’s efforts led to the discovery that Gerda was alive and living in a nursing facility in Canada.

Gerda, originally from Austria, had been a young Jewish refugee fleeing persecution during World War II. As an 18-year-old immigrant in England, she had given her newborn daughter up for adoption, as she had no means to care for her. The adoption came with the stipulation of no future contact.

Upon learning that her mother was still alive, Sonya traveled from the UK to Canada to meet Gerda on her 98th birthday. Sonya expressed how she had no idea her mother had survived until just over a year ago. Despite many unanswered questions, Sonya and Gerda quickly found common ground, discovering shared interests such as a love for travel and steel band music.

Gerda, overjoyed at the reunion, expressed immense gratitude, saying, “Thank you for this opportunity, my daughter, my grandson Stephen, it means so much to be able to survive to see this moment.” The emotional meeting marked the end of an 80-year separation and brought immense joy to both mother and daughter, highlighting the power of persistence and the deep bond between them.