Brothers reunite after 51 years

I last saw my brother Billy over 50 years ago when he and his wife Rhona and their daughter left England for South Africa.

I myself left Liverpool, our birth home, in 1970 to venture around England and the world.

I started looking for my brother as I lost contact with him and heard he was dead. Seeing that our surname is Smith, I decided to look at Rhona’s family using her surname.

I found her brother’s family, so I sent an email on ancestry, praying I would get a reply as Rhona’s brother had past away .

Some weeks later, I received a reply from Rhona’s sister-in-law telling me that Rhona and her sister were alive and well and still living in South Africa, but no mention of my brother.

I feared what I had heard about my brother was true. I received another message and recieved Rhona’s email address.

I sent an email on yahoo to my sister-in-law, praying I would receive a response. A week later I did. Billy, my brother, was alive and my body was filled with joy. I burst into tears.

Then came the blow… a couple of weeks later I was told that Billy had cancer. My daughter and Gary (Billy’s son) made arrangements for me to fly out to South Africa.

Then came another blow. My brother’s wife had passed away in her sleep (she was fit and healthy). It was unexpected .

I was so upset that I’d never see her again and never had the chance to give her a hug. I decided no matter what, I was going to see my brother come whatever.

On the August 7, I left Luton Bedfordshire, England for Johannesburg, and there was my bother in a wheelchair with his family to meet me. After over 50 years I could now hug him, but not his beautiful wife Rhona who I knew so well.

Who ever reads this, there is a message in this (don’t ever lose contact with your loved ones, because it very painful if you do). I will never drift away from my wonderful found relations in South Africa.

George Smith