Twins separated at birth reunite after 78 years apart

ALBANY, Ore. -- Her entire life, Ann Hunt believed she was an only child.

Growing up in England, she used to pretend to be a twin, CBS affiliate KVAL-TV in Eugene reports.

Friends warned her "that will come back to you one day," she said. "But isn't it lovely coming back to a thing like this?"

One of her daughters delved into the family's geneology and discovered, after 78 years, Hunt's birth mother had given her up for adoption to focus on her twin sister, who needed medical attention.

Hunt's twin, Elizabeth Hamel, lived half a world away from Aldershot, England, in Albany, Oregon.

Hunt's daughter wrote a letter to Hamel about the discovery.

"I do get mail from England," Hamel said, "but I was surprised when I saw Aldershot because we were born in Aldershot."

Hamel said she had known about her twin's existence her whole life but could never find the adoption records.

That letter changed it all. Hunt flew from England and met her twin for the first time May 1.