JANUARY 20 • 2022 | 5

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be in her life. She closed the 
door on Susan’s face. Susan and 
Barry were devastated. 
After an hour of 
conversation, I invited Susan 
and her husband for a weekend 
visit. We both had so many 
questions that needed answers. 
She was hoping I could close 
the information gap; I was 
hoping she could do the same 
for me. 
We talked a few times before 
Susan and Barry came to visit. 
She knew of people who were 
friends of my parents, and we 
tried to put pieces of the puzzle 
together. But we couldn’t find 
where she was staying before 
she was adopted when she was 
around 2 years old. 

Susan and I figured out why 
my birthday was always such a 
big deal to Aunt Anna. Eddie 
and I both shared the same 
birthday. I was Aunt Anna’s 
substitute daughter. 
I anticipated the day Susan 
and Barry came to the door. 
I was excited, emotional and 
nervous. But when I opened it, 
Susan was beautiful and petite 
with straight, short gray hair 
and Aunt Anna’s smile. She 
talked just like her; had the 
same mannerisms: her hands, 
the way she spoke, laughed, 
smiled. It was Aunt Anna. 
On that day, my husband 
and I gained two new friends 
and family members: Susan 
and Barry. We continue to 

visit (not as much as we’
d 
like during COVID), but 
we know each other’s kids/
grandchildren, relatives, etc. 
We talk often, exchange gifts, 
emails and text each other 
on holidays and birthdays/
anniversaries. 
As I take a few paces back 
and look at my life, we are 
blessed to have Susan and her 
family in it. My heart breaks 
when I think Aunt Anna could 
have had so much nachas with 
Susan, her husband, children 
— her grandchildren. 
Certainly, times have 
changed. If Aunt Anna and 
Eddie would have met today, 
perhaps they might have 
married, had a family, and 

celebrated both Jewish and 
Greek holidays together. Mixed 
and interracial marriages are 
more accepted — a discussion 
for families and clergy 
everywhere. 
A sad story, but a happy 
ending. A good thing came out 
of the love that Aunt Anna and 
Eddie had: a great friendship 
with a talented and beautiful 
friend I will enjoy for the rest 
of my life. 
Susan and I don’t have all 
the answers, but we have each 
other. 

Sandy Hermanoff is an area public 

relations consultant who loves to cook 

and bake. The names in this story have 

been changed to protect their privacy.

