I found my long lost brother living three miles away
A BROTHER and sister who had never met were finally reunited – after discovering they lived in the same town.
Donna Cowell, 48, was put in a care home as a child after her birth mother became homeless and was adopted aged eight.
But when she was given her case file as an adult she discovered she had a younger brother she never knew about.
After getting in touch with ITV programme Long Lost Family, Donna became determined to find her baby brother.
She said: “I was shocked and upset. I had a baby brother who might be in the same situation I was in being brought up in care.
“I need to find him. I would hate to think I have a brother out there who isn’t loved.”
Donna had been put into care with her brother Damien, 46, with neither ever knowing of their other sibling.
But Long Lost Family was able to locate the youngest brother, who had since been adopted and was now called Philip Holme.
Incredibly, he lived less than three miles from Donna in Blackpool and could see the hospital where she works from his home. Phil, 44, said: “I felt like I was missing out on that sibling relationship so it’s brilliant to think that she’d been looking for me.”
Damien wanted to meet off camera and so ITV viewers will see Donna and Phil finally have a tearful reunion in a
Blackpool cafe. Trainee nurse Donna said: “It is overwhelming. I felt a connection straight away. It’s not just me and Damien now, it’s me, Damien and Phil – all just here on the doorstep. It’s time to move forward, think about the future, and get on with life.That is what we are here for – to move forward.”
Phil said: “It’s amazing just how much we’ve got in common. I can’t stop smiling. Now I can’t wait to get to know them both.”
●●Donna, Phil and Damien’s story is on Long Lost Family