Siblings Reunited

12/4/2012 (Updated 10:51:01 PM)

You've seen it on movies and T.V shows: siblings separated as children only to reunite years later as adults. That's exactly how life played out for one family with local ties.

"This is my brother and his family," Edward Radtke sifts through family photos, pointing out brothers and sisters, but there's one family member you won't see.

"My original brothers and sisters didn't tell me until I was 20-21 years old that i had a little sister," said Radtke.

For years Radtke thought he was the youngest of eight, not the second youngest of 9. In 1962, when Radtke just a young 5 year old boy, Mama as the family calls her, died from a brain aneurysm. The family immigrated from Germany in 1953, settling in Tarrytown, New York. Edward and Tina were both born in the United States.

"And when she died, we all split up," Radtke.

Each sibling went to different foster homes, the youngest, one year old Tina Marie, was the only one adopted by a family. The older children including, Edward, were able to stay in contact with each other but Tina lived a life of her own with her new family. 

Then four years ago...

"One of my older biological sisters still happened to have adoption papers from our deseased Mama. They knew the address where I had gone and they felt that it might be time to reach out. We're all grown adults mind you, and that's how it all started," Tina

Since then, Tina has met and talked with her long lost brother and sisters...except for one...

"I never got in touch with her. I didn't know where she lived or anything like that. So finally I got that phone call which was wonderful," Ed.

"I picked up the phone, 'Hey! You don't know who I am, you're not going to recognize the voice, but I am your sister Tina Marie!"

Since that first phone call last week they talk almost everyday, and regretted that they had no pictures together, but that's about to change in a very big way:
Because this year, they will be spending the holidays together.

Tina is currently living in the Hudson Valley along with the rest of the family. Edward said he plans on moving from Binghamton to Westchester County to be closer to them.