Close Ad

Couple Forced Apart Reunites After 53 Years And Finds Daughter Given Up For Adoption
Vinar Voxland Family
Family

Couple Forced Apart Reunites After 53 Years And Finds Daughter Given Up For Adoption

Anyone who thinks it's too late to recapture lost love should get inspired by a couple who is writing living the best chapter of their lives together, half a century after their first meeting.


Separated by birth

Denny and Karen Vinar were your classic, inseparable high school sweethearts, Karen recalls Denny fondly to WDTV.

"I only lived two blocks from the school, so he would walk me home after school practically every day"

- Karen Vinar

However, everything changed when Karen became pregnant at age 15 and placed in a home for unwed mothers. Denny was only able to visit her on a couple of occasions, including the day their baby girl was born.

The couple only had an hour to hold her before they were forced to give her up for adoption.

“We had a photograph taken of her, and that was the last of our memories of her,” Karen Vinar said.

Not wanting to lose the love of his life too, Denny proposed to Karen when he returned from military duty. She, of course, accepted. Her family, however, objected- insisting that she get an education instead.

With that, the young family was disbanded.

He never forgot her

It turns out that time doesn't heal all wounds. For the rest of his life, Denny was still burning to be with his first and only love.

"No, I never stopped thinking about her. She had, I say, a corner of my heart. She was always there"

- Denny Vinar

And so, 53 years later, Denny found Karen through an online search, left her a message, and waited.

Not for long.

Karen contacted him immediately. Time stood still as the couple talked nonstop like teenagers. Soon, Denny was on a plane, en route to his see his girl.

Within hours of landing, they were finally husband and wife.

Life was complete...Almost.

Their missing link

Although happily married, Denny couldn't shake off that something was missing.

“One day, he said, ‘Karen, it took me this long to find you. My life would be complete if we could find our daughter,’” Karen recalls.

Working with local social services, they tracked down the adoption agency and sent a letter to their long-lost daughter, Jean Voxland.

Voxland initially ignored the letter. Her husband had a different idea.

"One day, I came home from work, and he said, ‘I think you better sit down.’ In the whole 30-some years of our marriage, he had never told me ‘I think you need to sit down "

- Jean Voxland

Jean's husband was adamant -- she had to contact her birth parents. After some letter-exchanging, they decided to meet.

When they finally met, Voxland knew right away that she was among family.

“When he [Denny] walked through the door and I looked at him, I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ Because I’ve never, ever looked like anybody,” Voxland said. “And now, I do.”

Love and family are timeless

Back together, the Vinars and Voxlands devoted their time meeting each other's extended family and celebrating milestones together.

It's a bond that continues to amaze Denny.

"The love we have for each other is absolutely second to none. Even today, it’s so strong. It’s unbelievable"

- Denny Vinar

It is estimated that we will each meet on average 10,000 people in our lifetime.

You'll connect with none in the same way as your child, siblings, true love or true friends. No matter how much time passes, you can share something truly special and unique with those people.

Denny and Karen Vinar will tell you that this type of connection is worth waiting a lifetime for.

More uplifting stories:

Hot Stories

Leonardo DiCaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go”
Leo Dicaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go” …

Forced to feel ashamed for her weight and appearance, Kate Winslet struggled with her body image for years. The media loved to tease her for being “the fat girl,” but there was ONE PERSON who saw the real her. What did Leo see in Kate? And what important message does Kate have for young women everywhere?


Keep ReadingShow less
Videos
Woman at a restaurant's window and two teen employees.

Teens Applauded For the Way They Handled This Angry Customer

Instagram/ @kekessnowballs

Working in customer service can be challenging, especially when you’re dealing with rude and demanding clients. That’s particularly true for some teens, who work these jobs for part-time money and are often bullied by adults. Perhaps that’s why people are applauding these teen girls for the way they expertly handled an over-the-top customer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News
Man standing with two daughters, a black purse and a handwritten note (inset)

Grieving Daughter Finds Note In Fossil Purse While Thrifting

Courtesy Anna Harp and Courtesy of Abrielle Clausing (via People.com)

Thrifting can net all sorts of treasures. Shoppers can snatch up everything from vintage clothes to mid-century modern furniture to kitschy knick-knacks, all without breaking the bank.

But for one grieving woman, she found a hidden gem that was truly priceless.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News