Celeste and Morné Nurse of Cape Town, South Africa have spent the past 17 years desperately searching for their kidnapped daughter, Zephany, after she had been taken from her hospital cot at a mere three days old.
These parents, who have been pining for their daughter for so long, were finally reunited with their long-missing child, and though it seems like it should be a wonderful, happy ending, it does have its complications.
The woman who kidnapped Zephany renamed her and raised her as her own. She even told her husband that this was his daughter. Zephany is now a teenager and was completely blindsided when she found out the truth, as was the rest of her adoptive family. They all thought she was a biological member of their family. Only the woman who kidnapped her knew the truth.
The story of the Nurses is truly miraculous — wait until you hear how they found her — but it's also very intriguing. Miracles can come true, but they come with complications.
Please SHARE this incredible story and watch the heartbreaking video below.
In the 17 years spent searching for their daughter, the Nurse family never knew that she'd been in the same town as them the entire time.
The Nurses continued to create a family. They eventually had two other daughters and a son, but they continued to celebrate all of Zephany's birthdays in hopes they'd find her.
The older Zephany grew, the smaller the odds grew that the Nurses would find her, especially as they had no current photos to use for searching. Fortunately, fate stepped in.
The Nurses decided to enroll their second daughter, Cassidy, in a new school. Cassidy noticed another girl a little older who bore a striking resemblance to herself. She befriended the girl based solely on the fact that they looked so similar.
Eventually, Cassidy showed her parents photos of this girl, and they found the resemblance to be uncanny as well. They notified authorities who began to investigate the matter.
Six weeks later, a DNA test confirmed that, after 17 years of searching, they had found their missing daughter. The woman who kidnapped Zephany was arrested, but is now out on bail.
The reunion has been extremely emotional for all parties involved. The daughter, whose identity is being protected, is grateful to know the truth, but her world has been turned around.
As for the Nurse family, they're beyond thankful that their daughter has been returned to them and completely shocked that she was so close the entire time! Definitely check out the video below for their heartbreaking account of the whole story.
After watching the video, please SHARE this incredible story of hope.
