brown haired female doll
Posted on by Debbie

What has been the most unusual, unexpected or just plain weird connection you’ve made as a blogger?

Where do I start?

This is such a weird story I don’t really know where to start.

It’s a true story that has been nearly 60 years in the making.

Let’s start at the very beginning

So, in 2018 I wrote a post about my ability to Survive and my opening words included this true story:

I’m known for surviving – and I’m very thankful for that!

My mother tells stories of me surviving a few times before I’d even started walking  –

  • there was the dreadful car accident with her when I was a few months old.  We were on our way to see my father so he could meet me for the first time – he’d been overseas in the Navy when I was born and didn’t get to see me, his firstborn,  until I was 4 months old.

This week I received a comment on that post that blew me away. It was really strange and came right out of the blue. It actually freaked me out a bit, if I’m honest.

What the????

The comment….

Dear Debbie, through some serendipitous internet event I have come across your blog and this post.
It was my dad who came across your mum and you, as a little baby, in the car accident you mention at the beginning of your post. It was a dark, rainy night near Yass. You and your mum went to the hospital and he gathered up all the gear out of the car that had been strewn across the road, took the clothing etc home and my mum washed it all clean. Your mum and you stayed with our family while recovering. I was about 4 years old myself but remember your lovely mum very clearly. My mum brought me a doll after you both left and we called it Debbie Anne, after you. I still have her.
I remember dad saying how blessed you both were to survive that crash, and it seems that despite what life has continued to throw at you the underlying courage necessary to keep going and living is inherent in you.

I remember getting this notification on my way to bed and had to wake my husband up to tell him about it. I also sent a message to my mother telling her about it. Remember this accident happened nearly 60 years ago, and we’ve not had any major contact in all that time!

Mum was seriously spooked! She imagined someone with a doll named after me sticking voodoo pins in it and then trying to get money from us….she has a good imagination 🙂

I sent Lea this email, trying not to let on exactly how spooked we were!

Hi Lea, I was very surprised to see your comments pop up on my blog last night, it was a huge surprise in fact.  I just can’t imagine how you found that particular post and then how you knew it was the accident your dad had helped with.  Can I ask how you tracked me down??I have been in touch with mum and she remembers you and your brother.  She said she had a call from your father a few years ago asking if she remembered him.
Thanks again for making contact and I’d love to hear how you found me as I’m intrigued.  The post only had the bare amount of information in it.

1960 with dad
1960 with dad

The wonders of the internet and family history sleuthing

So how did she find us? Lea used her internet searching skills and experience with family history and sleuthing. When she explained what she did it was very easy to find us. In fact mum is even more spooked now because of just how easy it is to find things out on the internet.

The blog post of my sister’s that Lea refers to, is this one, For richer or poorer from November 2014, when our parents celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary! I had left a comment on that post and Lea wondered if maybe I was her doll’s namesake, Debbie Anne, and I was!

I had also written a post earlier that week congratulating mum and dad as well – Treasure, beauty, love!

Mum and dad on their wedding day
My parents on their wedding day

Lea’s explanation is lovely to read and I love the quirky suggestion that her mum and my dad bumped into each other in Heaven and decided we needed to reconnect!

Hello Debbie, I know…. What the heck and how did I find you? I have been wondering that ever since last night. The only thing I can think of is that my mum and your dad have bumped into each other in Heaven and have decided that we need to make contact again now that we are both a little bit older than when we last met.

We always seemed to have rescued people in our home – mum used to say we should call our home “Broken Wing”. Every now and again I think of some of the people that mum and dad helped, but you and your mum were special visitors, and you are the only one I ever got a doll for – extra special given that I was a real tomboy and not into dolls at all but Debbie Anne has always been a much loved doll and every time mum and I came across her while reorganizing or whatever, mum would retell the story of you and your mum to me.

So, I guess it was reorganizing and seeing Debbie Anne that made me wonder about you.

Last night your name popped into my head again and so I decided to resolve this once and for all. I used all of my investigation skills honed by reading hundreds of murder mysteries and spy stories, as well as hunting down relatives for family history, to see if I could find you – a bit of a challenge in that I only know your first name.

I googled your mum and dad and up came Sharon’s blog where she talks about your mum and dad and it has their wedding photo. I thought she must be a relative – as soon as I saw the wedding photo I knew it was your mum. I didn’t know you had a sister Sharon, but I kind of figured you were related so I had a little look and found a comment you had made on her post. I clicked on it, wondering if it was you or someone else named Debbie. And, somehow, I almost went straight to the blog you had written about the accident. As soon as I started to read it I knew it was you. I have tried to find that particular blog again today just to see how I came across it and can’t find it now. So…. I can’t help think, apart from being a wonderful serendipitous thing, that I just needed to say hello to you.

Dad is 91 this year, but he still has a very clear recollection of the night he came across you both. He can describe where the car was, and how it had gone into a gully, and all of the things in the car were strewn across the road and covered in baby food (yours I guess  )….

Family stories

I have grown up hearing the story of this accident, which was actually two accidents, within 10 minutes of each other. Tiny came across mum after her accident and managed to move her off the road but when she kept asking ‘where’s my baby’, he responded with ‘there’s no baby love’. Mum was shouting ‘my baby is in the car’ and so he went and looked again and there I was under the seat and the bassinet!

He flagged down a passing milk truck and sat mum and I in the front seat while he set about moving mum’s car, but two trucks came around the bend and one hit the milk truck, smashing the windscreen all over mum and I!!

The police were called and as mum couldn’t remember her numberplate she had to go to hospital in case she had concussion and I was sent to the hospital’s nursery. Mum was not happy to be separated from me.

We were released to Tiny and his wife’s care and stayed with them until dad was given leave from the Navy and caught the train from Melbourne to Yass and finally he got to meet me, his first child!

Tiny remembers asking dad to carry his Navy hat so he could recognise him when he collected him from the train. Mum and dad stayed with Tiny and his family for a few days until we all continued to Melbourne by train.

How lovely was this family to take us in? Mum remembers staying with them for a few weeks later on while waiting for the car to be fixed too. She then asked Tiny and Marge to be my Godparents and they attended my Christening a few months later.

Losing contact

Given this all happened in the early 1960s, and phone contact was difficult plus mum and dad moved around a bit, they all lost contact. I’ve not met them apart from in those early days.

So you can imagine my utter surprise to have this connection with Lea after all that time!

Making contact

I’m happy to say that Lea and I are now in contact via email, Facebook and wait for it….we spoke on the phone the other night to Lea and her father.

As mum was visiting me last week, I sent Lea a message asking if it would be possible to call them and we had a fabulous chat with everyone on speaker phone. Lea and her 91 year old father Tiny and mum and I, chatting away about days gone by and what’s happened in the intervening years!

Mum and I are planning to meet up with Lea and Tiny in the new year as they are keen to see us. We’ve sent through photos of us and our families. It was a very emotional call in some ways and Tiny couldn’t believe he was speaking to me a middle aged woman as I’d been a tiny baby when he’d last seen me. Lea and I had lots in common and she was a delight to talk to.

Mum always speaks of Tiny as her knight in shining armour and has fond memories of their family for taking us in when we needed it most.

So…do you agree that this is a weird story of connection? Isn’t it lovely to have a happy ending to a story that spans almost 60 years?? I’m still gobsmacked to be honest.

I’m still not too sure about having a doll named after me though….I’d like to think my doll namesake looks like this:

brown haired female doll
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Can you tell a similar story of connection? If so I’d love to hear from you!

Deb xx

NOTE: The plans to meet up Tiny and Lea with were derailed by Covid lockdowns for over 3 years but it’s going to happen one day soon!!

You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.

Debbie - mother of a 40 year old

Everyone has a story to tell! Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. She never imagined being Granny Debs would bring so much joy to her life! You can read more of Deb’s story here

Copyright © 2023 debs-world.com – All rights reserved

93 Replies to “What has been the most unusual, unexpected or just plain weird connection you’ve made as a blogger?”

  1. What an amazing story Deb. How incredible that Lea managed to track you down after all these years, fate was certainly lending a hand. Sometimes things just happen that we don’t need to question just accept. How wonderful that you have reconnected and are planning to meet up. Lovely story.

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    1. Thanks Jonno, it’s taken me a while to write it up but I’m happy to have it finally done. It’s been a fabulous time, after the initial concerns, and we’re so happy to have re-connected. The good news is Lea loves my recount as well 🙂 Yes sometimes things just happen and we just have to go with the flow. It’s been a real delight 🙂

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  7. What a really interesting series of events Deb – and you’ll have to post a picture of the Debbie doll when you get one! I love that you all found each other and that the whole thing wasn’t creepy – it was just a genuinely caring person seeking to re-connect (and how fantastic for your mum and her dad to get to talk after all that time). Such caring and willingness to go the extra mile is rare these days – I just love how he did so much for your mum at a really stressful and awful time and now it’s come full circle to meeting up again.

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    1. Yes I agree Leanne, going that extra mile isn’t as common these days is it? It’s been a great effort in working it all out and then finally talking to them the other night was amazing! Nothing creepy about it thankfully 🙂

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  8. Wow! What are the chances? This is such an amazing story and I love that you will now have the chance to meet up with the family who so generously invited you into their home in the aftermath of the accidents. You do seem to have a guardian angel looking after you – and thank goodness for that.

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  9. What a lovely story!!

    The internet gets a lot of flak for bad stuff but it’s these heartwarming stories that tell a truer, meaningful tale that really explains its positive power force. The connections we make that feed our hearts and minds is amazing.

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  11. I have tears in my eyes and can barely read the end of this delightful story. Some days I grumble and complain about how computers, the internet, and smart phones have taken over our lives. But then, there are instances like this, where I can see what a treasure it is to be able to make connections like this that wouldn’t have been possible in the 60 years period between the beginning and end of this tale.
    You’ve brightened my Sunday morning by being able to share in this serendipitous connection with you.

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  12. What an incredible story! I can see why your mom may have been a little freaked out at first because it was just too amazing to be believed. How nice that she will be able to meet her knight in shining armor again. I’m sure the tears will be flowing that day. I hope you will share the reunion with us.

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  14. What a fabulous story. It is amazing how events in life can show conection to past events and people.
    When I met Sharon in 2008 we realised how much we had in common. We lived in Nowra at the same time, I actually lived in Worrigee and was shocked someone knew where it was! My husband was in the navy with your dad. I have discovered I have more in common with you as well. Sharon told me you were a Girl Guide and through your blog I discover you are a Rotarian.
    When I joined Rotary I was reconnected with a lady I met at Nursing mother’s 22 years ago. I also met my son’s partner’s grandpa.
    What a truly wonderful web our lives are.

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    1. Thanks so much Angela, I love the connections we are having too! What a small world it really is when we start telling stories and talking to others 🙂 . I was a Breast feeding counsellor with Nursing Mothers in the 80s in Newcastle and met so many wonderful women through that time. Rotary is a good way of meeting new people and helping the community. I’m so glad you’ve left me a comment on this tory, it’s very fitting 🙂

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  15. Car crashes are everyone’s nightmare, I think; when anyone in the family is late home or late ariving for a visit, your scenario is excatly what nervous partners, parents and grandparents imagine has happened. I haven’t any blogging tales to recount. A couple of times I have beeen surprised to see someone with my uncommon maiden name and we have have found on Facebook a half cousin of my children, abandoned daughter of my husband’s older half brother…

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  16. What a lovely story Deb and the internet certainly can be used for good can’t it? I do believe things are meant to be and I love Lea’s explanation about her ‘mum and your dad have bumped into each other in Heaven and have decided that we need to make contact again’ I remember driving home to Sydney from Brisbane with my first husband and children. We had talk back radio on and it was around 11pm. A caller came on looking for a long lost relative. Long story short it turned out to be my husband’s father who had passed away. He contact the radio station and they put us in touch with the lady. She actually only lived about 10 minutes from us (we lived in Kiama). We arranged a meeting at her house and spent a lovely afternoon. It is spooky sometimes how people can come back into our lives or fate steps in to make something happen. Thanks for sharing your story and looks like another friendship for you to nurture Deb. So lovely that your Mum could talk to Lea and her Dad. Have a beautiful week, my friend. xx

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    1. Whoa that’s a great story of connection Sue, how amazing is it that we can find people after so many years. It was lovely to have mum, Lea and Tiny enjoy a chat about those days. Life is funny at times isn’t it, we never know what’s going to come along next?? Have a great week xx

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  17. Oh my goodness, this made my eyes leak! What an amazing story and what a connection. I don’t know what amazes me more, the kindness of Tiny and his family to take care of you and your folks or how Lea found you. It’s like it was serendipity! I discovered all my dad’s family (grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles) quite by accident via internet dating but that’s a story for another day 🙂 I can’t wait for Debbie and Lea: The sequel!

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    1. Oh Sammie that’s so nice of you to say! It really has been quite some story to piece together and it was great having mum here to put some more pieces together. It’s very serendipitous!! Wow, your story about finding relatives via internet dating sounds interesting 🙂

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  18. Wow! You need to turn that into something other than a blog post. Send it to the Herald for the Two of us (if they still do that?) or Australian story or something…or obvs, write a book….That’s kind of AMAZING!! (and I laughed at the voodoo doll bit…hehehe) #Lifethisweek

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  21. Thank you for taking the time to detail this incredible story for us to read…What a blessing that many involved are still around to experience this ‘full circle’ event.
    BTW: I have to admit I’d be more worried about ‘meeting’ that doll than anything else! HA!

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  25. Hi Deb, I love everything serendipitous. I am reading the comment and major goosebumps. I extra love the photo of your parents on their wedding day. Beautiful! Debbie Anne will forever be special. It is wonderful, Deb, how you can share this story with your amazing story telling abilities. You remind me of the phrase, truth is stranger than fiction.🙂

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    1. Thanks Erica, it is very much the case that truth is stranger than fiction!! I loved sharing it with everyone and am glad it came over ok in the telling. My parents were a gorgeous looking couple and had a very happy marriage I’m pleased to say. 😊 thanks for visiting.

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  26. For all those naysayers about the internet…THIS is what it is good for. Connecting people from far gone years again. My take is that you (should you and Lea want to do this) is approach a writer or journo who might be interested in sharing the story. There are some blogging friends who have converted their writing into journalism. Your connections at Tumbarumba and the ACT newspapers, even the local TV station or ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler would be interested. Going slowly though IS the way and I look forward to what is next. Life is never dull in your household!! Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week’s optional prompt is 45/51 Share Your Snaps #9 11/11/19…the second LAST for 2019 (where did that year go!) Hope to see you there. Denyse.

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    1. Thanks so much Denyse, I have just sent an email to Richard’s radio show so will wait and see what happens. You’re quite right, life is never dull in this house 😮 I’m so glad I managed to share this story with my blogging friends and have had some great comments.

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  27. What an incredible story, Debbie. As somebody mentioned earlier, worthy of a TV series or even a movie.

    I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason. It’s meant to be. It’s as if our path of life is mapped out for us the moment we are born.

    I don’t have any stories as incredible as yours, although I’ve recently had two comments from somebody named Lea who is thinking about starting a blog. She said she’d been reading and following my blog for a long time and wanted to thank me for the blogging tips I publish. Her first comment came out of the blue. I wonder if it’s the same Lea or a different one?

    Thanks so much for sharing this story. It gave me goosebumps.

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    1. Thanks Hugh, I’m impressed that my true story gave you goosebumps considering all your spooky stories in Glimpses and More Glimpses!! I wonder if your Lea is the same as mine?? I agree, sometimes things happen for a reason and we may never know what that reason is until it happens. So glad to hear you enjoyed my post and thanks for your comment.

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  28. What a wonderful story Deb. . And yes I did think it was a little spooky until I stopped to think about it. It’s just amazing that you have reconnected with this family after so many years. I’m so pleased you shared this uplifting story. Will share

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  29. My heavens, this post really shook me up. Just as I finished reading this, my husband dropped a sleeve of very thin cookies that hit the tile floor and sounded like glass shattering. Which set my kitty on edge and she flew off the arm of the couch where I am sitting. Now my heart is racing! I want to go back to reread this post because this is truly amazing. It goes to show the whole wide world isn’t that wide! Thank you for sharing this with us.

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    1. Hi Leslie! On one hand I’m sorry I shook you up with my story but on the other hand I’m happy that my story telling managed to elicit that reaction from you 🙂 . It’s been an amazing unfolding of the whole thing over a number of weeks but with a happy ending, which I’m sure you appreciate! xx

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  36. You have some Guardian Angel following you around! What a magical experience to reconnect with someone like this. And just imagine, you’re going to meet someone who was/is your God Parent. And how wonderful to know that there are people like Tiny in the world. Sounds like your family is not the first nor the last, that they’ve rescued.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer, looking back it does seem like I have a Guardian Angel looking after me! It was a stunning re-connection to make and I’m so glad I can share this story. Yes isn’t it wonderful that there are people like Tiny and his wife who look out for others like that. The whole family is a caring unit and mum can’t thank them enough for what they did for us.

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  37. This is amazing!! Seriously. other than the crash part, this is the best story I’ve read in ages. Now, you mention your godfather called your mother a few years back? What is the story behind that? Why did he do that? How did he find her? Why didn’t she tell you? Why didn’t she meet up with him (and you, his god daughter)? Great post!! And do expalin the rest of it!!! #TrafficJamWeekend

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    1. Thanks Lydia! It’s been a great story all my life and now today, I posted the final chapter where we met up! My mother had a random phone call from Tiny a few years ago but no other connections, his wife had just died and he was wondering if mum remembered him. They all just lost connections over the years and never thought to go looking I suppose. Hope that answers some of your questions 🙂

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  42. I think it is a weird story of connection but was bound to happen eventually after I read that your mum chose Tiny & his wife to be your Godparents. It’s an amazing story. #Weekendcoffeeshare

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    1. Thanks Karen, it’s a shame they all lost contact but we found each other again that’s the main thing. I’ve just posted the final chapter in the story where mum and I met up with Tiny and Lea!

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  43. Such a cool story! I love how people from our past can find us more easily now (though as a fiction writer, I can think of all kinds of ways that could be a bad thing too). I hope you’re able to see these kind folks soon.

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  44. WOW Deb. That gave me goosebumps. I do not know if I have a story like that…though I do remember one time, my mom had passed away and we lived 2 1/2 hours from where I grew up. I was having a garage sale and a lady and her husband came up my driveway. We chatted and she said I looked familiar…turns out they were in this area of her husbands work and decided to stop when they saw my sign…it turns out she was a friend of my moms. I recognized her too and we chatted for awhile. Small world sometimes.

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    1. Thanks Kirstin, I’ve just posted the final piece in the story after meeting Tiny and his daughter Lea. Your story is a great one too, some weird stuff happens doesn’t it?

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