It's a complete miracle": Siblings find long-lost big sister 70 years after their mom was forced to give her up

Time of India

14-05-2025

After 73 years apart, Trish Caller, 61, and June Thompson, 63, finally met their long-lost older half-sister, Geraldine 'Geri' Ratcliffe, 77 — a reunion made possible by a chance DNA match and a daughter's curiosity.
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As first reported by SWNS and the Somerset County Gazette, the heartwarming discovery unfolded in April 2025, tracing its roots back to a painful chapter in Irish history and a mother's lifelong longing to reconnect.
Back in 1952, their mother, Mary Willis, was forced to give up her eldest daughter while living at the notorious
in Ireland — an institution later condemned for its cruel treatment of young, unmarried mothers.
Geraldine was just four years old when she was placed for adoption. For decades, the secret weighed heavily on Willis, who died in 2011 at the age of 84, never knowing that her daughters would one day find each other.
Caller, who works as a columnist for the Somerset County Gazette, said their mother never lied — she simply couldn't speak about the trauma. 'Mum never told us any lies, she just never told us the truth as she was made to feel that she'd committed the worst sin against God,' she told SWNS.
The turning point came in 2023, when Caller's daughter, Laura Polley, submitted her DNA to Ancestry.co.uk. The results led to a stunning match in April 2025. Thinking it was an April Fool's joke, both Caller and Ratcliffe were skeptical—until an email from Caller made the incredible truth undeniable. 'I thought Laura was playing April Fool's on me,' Caller recalled. 'Turns out Geri thought the same thing too.'
A Zoom call was quickly followed by a deeply emotional in-person meeting later that month.
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'It was instant love,' Caller said of finally embracing her long-lost sister. Despite having lived separate lives, the three siblings discovered they had striking similarities — from facial features to the same infectious laugh.
Together, they pieced together more of their mother's story. Mary Willis had been just 21 when she gave birth to Geraldine in 1948. She later left Ireland, married Peter Willis, and went on to have three more children — Trish, June, and their brother Stephen.
The Bessborough Home, where Mary was once confined, operated under the control of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. An Irish government investigation in 2021 revealed that nearly 900 children died there between 1922 and 1988, with many adoptions forced under immense pressure and shame.
Though their mother never got the chance to reunite with the daughter she lost, her children honored her memory together — visiting her grave in a deeply moving tribute.
'We do feel like Mum is with us now, and she's been with us every step of the way,' Caller told the Somerset County Gazette. 'This is what Mum would have wanted.'
The sisters now plan to travel to Ireland together, to walk through the places their mother once knew — and perhaps find a deeper sense of closure. 'It's a complete miracle,' said Caller. 'Having Geri in my life is something I've always wanted.'