Sisters Orphaned In Korea Reunited At Florida Hospital

Two sisters who were orphaned in the 1970s in Korea were reunited while working at the same Florida hospital. Holly Hoyle O’Brien and Meagan Hughes, whose birth names were Pok-nam Shin and Eun-sook, respectively, were adopted by different American families after spending time in separate American orphanages. O’Brien even dreamed of her sister, and begged her adopted family to find her. Unfortunately, the orphanage had no record of O’Brien ever having a sibling. Years later, O’Brien’s husband made the same attempt, but was met with the same results. 

Hughes works as a physical therapy assistant at the same hospital where O’Brien works with the medical surgery unit. A patient mentioned they had similar heritages, and suggested the two speak. As O’Brien and Hughes began to connect, they discovered the similarities between them were too big to be coincidental. O’Brien ordered a couple of DNA kits, and received the results in mid-August. The match was positive. O’Brien said she was “ecstatic”. Hughes, who only has vague recollections of her time at the Korean orphanage, said she was “in shock” when she got the news. 

The two were happy to have finally found each other. O’Brien was especially happy to become an instant aunt of two nieces. Even fellow staff members at the hospital shared their joy, with one even waking her husband and kids up to share the good news.