After 70 years apart, a World War II veteran will travel halfway across the world, from Virginia Beach to Adelaide, Australia, to finally meet the girlfriend he was with during the war.
World War II vet to fly to Australia to reunite with wartime girlfriend: https://t.co/iHRaJyF3Zz (Norwood Thomas) pic.twitter.com/PRDtazo8EJ
— KVUE News (@KVUE) January 21, 2016
The story of Norwood Thomas, 93, and Joyce Morris, 88, which initially appeared in The Virginian-Pilot, received a ton of positive responses online that readers could not help but fulfill the war veteran's dream that has been on pause since 1945.
WWII vet Norwood Thomas to reunite with his wartime girlfriend in Australia b/c of donations https://t.co/YbxzpPoR6E pic.twitter.com/Wh2JTkfHuv — laurenking (@laurenking) January 19, 2016
With almost, $7,500 on his GoFundMe page and a free first-class flight from Air New Zealand, he is sure to fly to Australia and finally meet his long-lost lady.
"I'm numb," Thomas said, according to The Virginian-Pilot. "I have no idea what my emotions are going to be once we meet face-to-face."
Their association began again when Morris' son, Rob, found Thomas on the Internet and then called him about a certain "Joyce Durrant," which was Morris' maiden name. Eventually, the elderly couple decided to communicate via Skype on Nov. 6 last year.
"The only problem is that I can't take you in my arms and give you a squeeze," Thomas said to Morris during their video call, according to CBS News.
Giving hugs will not longer be a problem since Thomas will be flying to Australia on Feb. 14, according to the Associated Press.
