You know how some siblings can’t seem to get along and squabble over toys? Well, some have a truly enduring bond.
Take Marian Griffin, for instance. At 80 years old, she recently had a reunion with her brother Donald Hefke, who’s 81, that would probably warm even the coldest heart. After being apart for nearly eight decades, they’ve finally met face-to-face, and it’s heartwarming.
What makes this even more remarkable is that Marian only found out her brother existed last year!
Marian confessed to ABC News, “I thought it was a scam,” remembering when a stranger named Denise Baker approached her with the unbelievable news that she had an older brother who was still alive and frantically searching for her. But Denise wasn’t trying to deceive her. She was Donald’s daughter, and she’d been on a mission (like a detective) for years trying to find her long-lost aunt.
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This incredible tale of two siblings starts right after World War II.
Marian was born in 1945, and soon after, she and her brother Donald were placed in foster care. Their mother, who was struggling with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, had been sent to an institution, and their father couldn’t look after them. Eventually, the siblings were separated and adopted by two families, growing up unaware that the other existed.
Donald’s journey eventually led him to a foster family, and later, he joined the U.S. Air Force.
In 1963, driven by curiosity, he decided to look into his biological family’s history. That’s when he discovered he had a sister named Marian. However, when Donald tried to contact her, his letters were intercepted and kept from her by Marian’s adoptive parents.
Marian Griffin, 80, always thought there was something missing in her life, she told @ABC News.
It turned out that missing something was an older brother she didn’t even know existed, and whose family had been trying to find her for decades. https://t.co/eyC2fVnSio
— ABC News (@ABC) August 1, 2025
Reflecting on the situation, Marian told ABC News, “Our kids could have grown up together; instead, we were separated because my parents would not tell me that my brother wrote to me and was looking for me.”
Donald, though filled with determination, ultimately felt defeated and handed over the responsibility to his daughter.
Denise Baker then shifted the search online. After devoting 20 years to sifting through countless databases and family trees, she finally hit upon a breakthrough: a digital family connection involving Marian’s son.
This led to a deeply emotional phone call.
Marian told KRCR-TV, “He says… ‘Mariane, Mariane, is that you? Oh my goodness, I’ve been looking for you, Mariane!’” She explained, “He couldn’t even stop saying my name.”
Marian Griffin, 80, always thought there was something missing in her life, she told ABC News. It turned out that missing something was an older brother she didn’t even know existed, and whose family had been trying to find her for decades. Read more: https://t.co/r4puDnlbxU pic.twitter.com/XMpg59Ts6f
— ABC News (@ABC) August 1, 2025
Even though Donald couldn’t make the journey because of his health, Baker still traveled to Marian’s place in California.
It felt like the closest they could get to a family reunion.
Marian is finally planning her trip to Florida to see her brother and his whole family. “Oh my gosh, it would be wonderful even for a few days,” she shared. “We have 80 years to catch up on!”
And while the world can often seem divided, this story of these siblings serves as a sweet reminder that some connections are truly unbreakable. They might be hidden for a while, but they always remain.
