Imagine growing up around your best friend, only to later find out that they’re your family.
That’s the sweet surprise two elderly women in Singapore experienced after discovering that they are sisters, after growing up together as best friends from different households.
According to The Straits Times, 72-year-old Madam Thangah Koh and 71-year-old Madam Fatimah Mohidin spent years of their lives being asked if they were sisters because of their looks.
“People said we look alike and asked if we were sisters. I said I’m Malay, while Thangah is Indian. How could we be sisters?” Madam Fatimah shared.
They played together as girls and became best friends.
“Our (adoptive) mothers always told us to play together, but they never said why. We also didn’t ask why,” Madam Thangah said.
Madam Thangah first discovered that she was adopted in her teens and was initially born to a Chinese couple. Though, she was adopted by an Indian couple living in the same neighbourhood as her birth parents.
Madam Fatimah, on the other hand, was adopted by a Malay family and they ended up as neighbours.
Both Madam Thangah and Madam Fatimah were adopted off after an astrologer told their birth parents that they would bring misfortune to their birth family.
The Indian family who adopted Madam Thangah initially also took in Madam Fatimah, but they later gave Madam Fatimah to a Malay couple who was struggling to have a child, as they were unable to take care of 2 children.
A long overdue reunion.
When Madam Thangah turned 20-years-old, she decided to look for her birth parents as she wanted to register for Singaporean citizenship.
After receiving her birth parents’ address from a neighbour, she and her Indian adoptive mother paid her birth parents a visit.
At first, her birth parents didn’t recognise her as she was dressed in traditional Indian garments but when they finally realised that their daughter was standing before them, they burst into tears. The birth parents also shared that they had attempted to look for her once before but failed.
They then revealed to Madam Thangah that Madam Fatimah is her biological sister.
A happy ending.
From then on, both Madam Thangah and Madam Fatimah built a good relationship with their birth parents while staying with their adoptive parents who they love equally.
They also discovered that they have other biological brothers and sisters.
“My biological siblings are all loving and respectful, and our bond got closer as we got older. My brothers call me their Indian sister, and Fatimah their Malay sister,” Madam Thangah explained.
They now also celebrate the different festivities at each others’ houses with Chinese New Year celebrated at their birth parents’ house, Deepavali at Madam Thangah’s house and Hari Raya at Madam Fatimah’s house.
In the end, they became one big, blended family, where they managed to reunite with their biological parents and siblings while also remaining faithful to their adoptive parents.
“I never felt angry that I was given away. I take it as God’s will. I also feel very grateful to my adoptive parents for raising me,” Madam Thangah said.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
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