Back where she belongs

FOR 57 years Jan Hinde has not felt she belonged anywhere.

Stan Phillips, of Geelong, Carol Jones, of Sydney, and Jan Hinde, of Yamba, have a family hug in Yamba on Saturday. . Picture: Debrah Novak

FOR 57 years Jan Hinde has not felt she belonged anywhere.

That all changed for the Yamba woman when she met some of her estranged siblings on the weekend, after they came from Sydney and Melbourne for a reunion.

During the emotionally-charged meeting, Jan met a half-brother for the first time.

And she saw her full sister who she had met once previously – in an orphanage when she was eight years old.

“When I saw them I was so dizzy I couldn’t breathe,” Jan said.

“I honestly thought I was going to have a heart attack.

“I honestly can’t explain how I felt about meeting them though.

I finally felt like I belonged.

“I was adopted when I was eight and I’m now 65, and for all those years I haven’t really felt like I belonged properly anywhere.

“I think people sometimes take that feeling for granted.”

Learning things about her biological family was inevitable.

However Jan didn’t expect to find out her father was actually a kind-hearted man.

“Turns out my dad wasn’t as bad as I thought he was,” she said.

“Meeting with Stan and Carol brought back a few memories though.

"I surprised even myself.”

While Jan is still coming down from the feeling of elation that came from meeting some of her siblings over the weekend, she said there were still more out there to find.

“I think I have about 12 brothers and sisters, but I can’t be sure. I know that I have another sister, Rosemary, out there somewhere, and another half-brother.

“All of this is thanks to a cousin though, Ray Powell.

“I don’t know how he did it but he did.

“My husband and I tried many years ago but didn’t get very far, so I am very thankful to him.”

Originally published as Back where she belongs