On her 98th birthday, Gerda Cole received a gift more precious than she could have imagined: a heartfelt reunion with her daughter after 80 years apart.
In 1939, as a young Jewish refugee, Cole fled her native Austria and settled in England at the outset of World War II. Years later, at just 18, she became a mother. Due to limited educational and economic opportunities, Cole was unable to keep her newborn daughter and made the heart-wrenching decision to place her for adoption.
Although Cole was never permitted to contact her child again, she went on to live a fulfilling life. She relocated to Canada, pursued higher education, and traveled the globe.
Meanwhile, Cole’s daughter, Sonya Grist, grew up believing her birth mother had passed away. However, a surprising discovery by Grist’s son, Stephen, changed everything. Stephen learned through a Facebook conversation with Cole’s stepson that Gerda was not only alive but living in a nursing home in Canada. Stephen shared his shock with The Toronto Sun:
“I found out that Gerda, my mother’s birth mother, was still alive and turning 98. I was astonished,” he said.
Stephen and Sonya quickly traveled from England to Toronto, where Cole was residing in a long-term care facility. Their emotional reunion was captured on video by CBC News, showing their joy as they hugged, laughed, and celebrated together.
The occasion was made even more special as it coincided with Mother’s Day weekend. Despite the decades apart, the bond between mother and daughter remained strong. Grist fondly recalled Cole’s first email, where Cole humorously remarked, “you have to understand this computer doesn’t like me.”
“It was something I would have said,” Grist laughed. “She may struggle with technology, but at least she’s honest about it.”
Cole also offered her daughter some sage advice: “Don’t wait until tomorrow before it is too late. If you want to live, live now, not tomorrow or the day after.”
In this touching reunion, it was clear that while time may have separated them, the love between mother and daughter was as enduring as ever.