A former Irish Olympian has described finally meeting his long-lost sister after 50 years, only to discover that his mum died before he could find her, as "bitter-sweet".
Shane Healy (54), from Ravensdale, Co Louth, represented Ireland in the 1996 Olympics and has smashed countless Irish and World Masters records since then.
He has always used his media coverage to try and trace his mother, Maureen Kelly-Healy, and sister Lorraine who disappeared from his life when he was just four-years-old.
At that point, Healy was placed in Goldenbridge Orphanage in Dublin, and faced even more devastation when his aunt Noreen, who had taken him out on day trips, died suddenly while he was waiting for her to pick him up.
However, just three weeks ago, Healy was contacted by a nephew he had never before met who looked him up after discovering a DNA match through myheritage.com
He also discovered he had a half-brother he never knew existed.
"I was only four, and we were living in Sandymount in Dublin at the time. There was a huge row in the house and mum was heading for the door when my sister Lorraine woke up and came down the stairs," Healy said.
"She grabbed Lorraine, who was seven-years-old, and left the house. I'd never seen or heard from them since that night in 1973. Incredibly it will be 50 years ago this month.
"I've tried to track them down over the years and made numerous media appeals, but I had no joy. None of my relatives ever heard from them either.
"On July 14th, I got home from a gruelling session on the track and went for a lie down when I saw a text message on my phone which said: 'Hi Uncle Shane. It's Jonathan, your nephew here. I believe you are looking for your sister Lorraine. She is my mother.
"I got a gift of a myheritage.com DNA set years ago from my cousin Marina Lannon and every now and again I'd get notified of a distant relation. When Jonathan's DNA matched mine on the myheritage.com site, he googled me and found the story about my mum and sister, his mother Lorraine.
"Lorraine and my mum had moved to Chester. Lorraine was only seven when she left and so when we chatted on the phone, she kept asking me did I still like jam sandwiches, because I used to be mad about them.
"Lorraine told me that I have a half-brother Gareth who I had no idea existed. She said she had asked mum about us when she was little but was told that chapter of their lives was over," Healy said.
He continued: "Lorraine and my half-brother and nephew came to Ireland to meet me and my two older siblings a few weeks ago. I was so nervous and yet so excited picking them up from the airport. They are my flesh and blood, and yet they are complete strangers.
"Unfortunately, my mum died 12 years ago from cancer, so a lot of questions will go unanswered.
"I'm hurt because she could've easily picked up the phone to call us, and we could've been one big family, but now we have 50 years of catching up with my sister and my new family. I did find out that she had an Irish wolfhound that she named Shane."
"I used to beat myself up for years wondering what had happened to them, but I never gave up hope that I'd find them one day.
"It wasn't supposed to end like this though. I thought I'd be able to touch her, to hug her, to have a mother and son day out. But I'm so glad that the mystery is over, and we can now catch up on 50 missing years."
Healy defied all the odds to become an Irish Olympian, adding that he has always been a positive person.
After his mother left, Healy's father had to go to England for work and placed him in Goldenbridge Orphanage for nearly three years until he came back for him.
"It was tough. You learned to stick up for yourself fast. My aunt Noreen used to bring me out every second weekend with her fiance Stan, and I used to look forward to those trips. She was like my substitute mum," he said.
"One weekend, I was waiting at the orphanage, but she never came to collect me. I was about seven-years-old at the time.
"I found out that while showering, she got a brain haemorrhage and died at 37-years-old."
After a varied career hitchhiking around the world, Healy started running after a dare at the age of 22 and eventually made the Olympic team, representing Ireland to the semi-finals in 1500m event.
He is now is gearing up to break more masters records when he turns 55 in October and enters a new age category.
Last weekend in Carlingford, he ran 5km in 15.16, putting him on course to break the current over-55 record of 15.30 set by UK athlete Martin Rees.
