THIS is the heartwarming moment a grandmother incredibly reunites with her long-lost brother after decades of searching.
Gill Thompson, 73, found her half-brother Michael Bardsley on after seeing an opponent at a tournament with the same last name.
Gill Thompson, 73, discovered her half-brother Michael Bardsley on LinkedIn Credit: SWNS
The pair met for the first time at Colwyn Bay railway station on June 8 Credit: SWNS
Gran-of-four Gill only learnt about her dad, Colin Bardsley, after receiving a card from her paternal granddad at the age of 25.
She found out he moved to Cape Town, in , before remarrying and having a son called Michael Bardsley.
But Gill, from Llandudno, North , failed to find her long-lost family members after initial searches in the late 90s.
She renewed the search last August after the bowls tournament – and her daughter Sammy, 31, was able to track Michael, 64, down on LinkedIn.
The pair instantly knew it was Gill’s half-brother because of the similarities in their noses.
Michael, who lives in the South African capital, and Gill met for the first time at Colwyn Bay railway station on June 8.
Gill, a retired PE teacher, said: “I felt very emotional as I watched Mike’s train coming in.
“We embraced as only long-lost brother and sister could do. We had a happy evening catching up on a lifetime of memories.”
She was promoted to renew her search after his name cropped up at a bowls tournament Credit: SWNS
Retired PE teacher Gill said she felt ‘very emotional’ as Michael’s train came in Credit: SWNS
Sports producer Michael said seeing his half-sister’s face brought a “flood of emotion”.
He said: “It was worth every mile of the frustrating journey of cancelled trains… I saw the joy on my sister’s face.
“A flood of emotion and memories of my dad kicked in. As we hugged the reality sank in.
“After a lifetime apart I was now holding on to my closest living relative.”
Sports film producer Michael said seeing his half-sister’s face brought a ‘flood of emotion’ Credit: SWNS
Gill and Michael now text every week and FaceTime every fortnight Credit: SWNS
Gill found out they were playing against a Michael Bardsley in the Colwyn Bay Crown-Green Bowls Festival last August.
It wasn’t Gill’s half-brother – but it sparked Sammy’s interest.
She found a LinkedIn profile for a sports film producer Michael Bardsley living in Cape Town, and sent him a DM including her phone number.
Gill said: “Sammy was sure it was him. She said we have the same nose. It’s the same nose my dad had, and my son has it too.”
Sammy got a phone call from Michael in September.
Gill and Michael were then able to chat on FaceTime for half an hour.
Michael had known his dad had another child, but didn’t have enough information to find her.
Gill’s parents – Joyce Priestley and Colin Bardsley – married in 1952 after finding they were expecting her.
But the couple separated before she was born, then divorced.
Gill said: “I just never knew anything about him. I never asked and mum never said. I was just happy and I never thought about it.
“Other kids at school talked about ‘mummy and daddy’, I just said ‘I don’t have a daddy’, for me it was ‘mummy and nanna’, that was normal.”
Gill said: “I was so excited and nervous. He said ‘this is the most wonderful thing ever’, and it was.
“We talked for ages. We both laugh a lot, and we’re both into sport, and both work in sport.”
Gill and Michael now text every week and FaceTime every fortnight.
He stayed with Gill for two weeks in June – and the pair met up with their cousins too.
Gill, added: “We’re both delighted. This wouldn’t have been possible at all without the Internet.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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