Long-lost siblings reunite after 73 years apart
Two siblings have reunited after 73 years apart.
Innisfil resident Doug Lewis grew up in Ontario with one sister, or so he thought.
"We knew that there was possibly another child out there from my parents. They did not say that. They did not tell us, but an aunt kind of hinted there might be someone," Lewis says.
In Christmas of 2020, he received an ancestry test as a gift. After getting the results back, Lewis was shocked to find out he had a full biological sister.
"I got a sister! There's the excitement, but at the same time, there's the apprehension, like will she accept me? Will she like me? Will our families get along?" Lewis says.
It turns out she wasn't far away.
His sister, Carol Morellato, lives in Niagara Falls. After a FaceTime call, the siblings decided to meet in-person one month later.
Morellato was put up for adoption as a baby and spent 29 years searching for her biological family.
"I couldn't believe it. I could not believe it. It was unreal, really," Morellato says.
Since then, Lewis and Morellato FaceTime weekly and their children have started spending time together.
"It's incredible really. We've extended our family. We've almost doubled in size," Lewis says.
Lewis says it's been a whirlwind of emotions but feels grateful to have found his sister.
"Now we get to talk about mom and dad and what they did, how they acted, what they liked and didn't like, to make Carol a part of the family and for her to know the heritage that she came from," Lewis says.
This Saturday, Doug and Carol will reunite again with their extended family.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.