Social media does play a big role in reconnecting people. In fact, it also plays a role in finding information about long-lost relatives. These days, you can track down anyone with just a few details like the person’s name and location.
Source: Maternity Week
So many people have reconnected with people they have not seen in decades thanks to social media. Even two siblings who ended up being adopted by different foster families were able to find each other. Read on to know more about their story.
Separated for good until social media
Shawney and Luke were close as siblings. The two were orphaned at a young age and only had each other. Although they lived in different foster homes from time to time, their caregivers made sure that the siblings still got to spend a lot of quality time together.
Source: Maternity Week
That is until they were separated for good when they were adopted by different families. The siblings have been separated for almost two decades and lived without knowing where the other was. But all of that changed thanks to social media.
He was adopted first
Luke was the sibling that got adopted first. A couple decided to raise Luke as their own. They were informed that Luke had a sister and was asked if they could adopt her as well so the siblings won’t have to be separated.
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Unfortunately, the couple could only afford to raise one child. They could not commit to taking in Shawney as well. Because of this, the orphanage had no choice but to separate the siblings. They could not deprive Luke of a chance of having a family.
She got adopted later
So, with Luke gone, a three-year-old Shawney was left behind. Shawney was eventually adopted by another family. Her new family had their own biological children too so she grew up with siblings and in a happy household.
Source: Maternity Week
Although it was a good thing that the siblings have found new families that will take care of them, it was a bit of a shame to separate them. Shawney and Luke spent their earliest days together as best friends but now, they will probably never see each other again.
It was sad but not that bad
The first years of separation had been difficult for the memory of their bond as siblings were still fresh and strong. But there was not much that they can do. They were too young to be in charge of their own lives. They had to take what fate has brought to them.
Source: Maternity Week
Sadly, the siblings had been robbed of the chance to grow up together. But it really was not that bad. After all, they both ended up in good homes and were raised well by their adoptive parents until they became functional and self-supporting adults.
Growing up
Despite ending up in good families, neither of the two forgot each other. They knew that somewhere out there, was a sibling they got separated from. But even when they reached the age where they can seek each other out, social media did not exist back then.
Source: Maternity Week
And as they got older, life and responsibilities got in the way. For instance, Luke had found love and started a family of his own. This meant he had more important priorities to focus on now that he has a family to look after.
Life went on
Luke had to postpone his search for Shawney in the meantime. Besides, the chances of him actually tracking down Shawney were very slim. The orphanage was in New Mexico but he was in Baltimore now. And who knew where Shawney was?
Source: Maternity Week
Years passed and Luke and Shawney grew up living their own respective lives. They never heard from each other and they never saw each other. For a while there, it looked like life went on as usual. But that did not mean they forgot each other.
Looking for her on Facebook
Luke had not forgotten his plans to track down his sister. He’d never lost sight of the bond that they once shared. It was the year 2017 and things were different now. Luke had the internet and social media at his disposal.
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Luke tried to do some amateur detective work on Facebook. Luke did not have much information to go on except for his sister’s first name and how old she was. He had no idea what Shawney looked like now that they were all grown up.
Narrowing the search
With a bit of persistence, he decided to do a Facebook search and tried to find the best candidates that could possibly be his sister. Among the candidates, Luke narrowed it down to one girl that he believed looked similar to him.
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Now all he had to do was send this person a message to verify if this woman was really his long-lost sister. But Luke had no idea what to write or where to begin. After all, how could you introduce yourself as somebody’s long-lost brother?
Reviewing her profile
He had to know if he finally found Shawney or if he was mistaken. Otherwise, he would forever be asking, “What if?” He tried to write a message first but before he sent it, he reviewed her profile one more time.
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This woman had the name Shawney and according to her profile, she is currently living in Las Vegas. If her social media details were to be believed, this meant they were thousands of miles apart. If not for social media, it would be very unlikely for their paths to cross.
Sending the message
Luke studied the profile several times before sending the woman a message. He had a feeling that he found Shawney. But he will never know for sure unless he made a move. After pressing send, the wait for a reply had been nerve-racking.
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The next day, Luke woke up to a notification. The girl he suspected to be Shawney had replied to his message. Luke stared at his inbox for a long time. He was hesitating to open the message, afraid that he will just be disappointed.
She could not remember
Luke took in a deep breath and read the message. It looked promising but nothing could be confirmed yet. Shawny did admit she was adopted but she seemed also to be hesitant to believe that he was her brother.
Source: Maternity Week
Shawny could not remember much about her childhood with Luke, which was understandable since she was just three years old when they were separated. But when Luke showed him pictures, she felt satisfied and believed him.
Finding each other
The siblings finally found each other. It was an incredible moment. What seemed impossible at first was now happening. The two found each other with just a simple Facebook search. There was no doubt that these two were destined to reconnect.
Source: Maternity Week
Although Luke and Shawney wanted to meet up right away, the distance made it impossible. They both did not have enough money to afford a trip to see each other or even meet each other halfway. There was nothing that can be done right away.
A talk show to the rescue
Meeting in person would take a lot of money and planning. And both Luke and Shawney needed time to earn the cash. So, even though they finally found each other, they still could not meet. It was a bittersweet situation for the two.
Source: Hollywood Reports
But as luck would have it, fate found a way for the two siblings to meet. The TV talk show, The Real, heard about their story and believes that Luke and Shawney’s story is the perfect content for their program. After all, their story is very inspiring and interesting.
Reunion on camera
The producers decided to make the reunion possible. They invited Luke and Shawney to appear on the show. This means that after 18 years of being separated at the orphanage, Luke and Shawney will finally be reunited on camera.
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The producers paid for the expenses that made their trip to the studio possible. Luke and Shawney’s story gathered a lot of interest and a lot of people tuned in to see the reunion happen between the two siblings.
Luke’s side of the story
Luke was brought out on the set first. The hosts interviewed him and he spoke about how he and his sister had been separated. And the show flashed pictures of Luke and Shawney from their childhood days on the screen.
Source: Maternity Week
While sharing the story, it was clear that Luke seemed to be distracted. He was looking around the set, probably wondering if Shawney was around. He was told that it was a reunion but where was his sister?
Finally reunited
Luke did not have to wait too long. The hosts called out Shawney, who had been waiting backstage. Luke immediately ran up to her and gave her a hug, It was clearly an emotional reunion between the two as they shared a tearful hug on stage.
Source: Maternity Week
Once the two sat down, it was time for Shawney to share her part of the story. She admitted that she grew up not remembering Luke. She was only reminded that she had a brother when she was 13 years old and she was told that she was adopted.
Grateful tears
Shawney had been trying to look for her brother ever since but Luke was a very common name and she did not have a last name to help her out. When she received the message from Luke, she doubted it at first but it eventually became clear that he was her brother.
Source: Maternity Week
Shawney could not stop her tears from falling, “Right now, I’m at a loss for words. My heart’s racing; I’m shaking. This is amazing.” She was practically shaking from gratitude. She could not believe that her older brother is finally beside her.
Another surprise
Apart from reuniting the siblings on their show, The Real producers also had a surprise for Luke and Shawney. The producers gave Shawney a free trip to Baltimore so that she can visit Luke and meet his family.
Source: Maternity Week
Luke has a two-year-old son which was also one of the reasons why he could not just pack up and visit Shawney. Shawney was excited to meet her little nephew and said how glad she was to have Luke back in her life.
Sibling connection
It was revealed later that Luke and Shawney were kept in separate green rooms before the show started. They were given different menus and the amazing part is that they both ordered the exact same thing! Talk about sibling connection!
Source: Maternity Week
Imagine being separated from your sibling at a very young age with no information but each other’s first names and ages. Luke and Shawny just proved that what seemed impossible at first can become a reality. It was a happy closure to their childhood.