Talking To Her Neighbor Revealed Her Long Lost Sister’s Existence

By: Lisa Lee | Last updated: Sep 22, 2023

Hillary Harris had embarked on a quest. Armed with nothing but her sister’s first name, she was determined to find the long-lost sibling who’d been absent from her life for so many years. 

Would they get along? Was it even possible to reunite after all this time? But then one day, when Hillary saw what was in a package delivered to their neighbor’s doorstep, she realized that these questions could soon be answered.

An Unexpected Reunion

Hillary, a Wisconsinite who was adopted as a baby, never really bothered to look into her birth parents. That all changed when she found out she was expecting her own daughter. Suddenly, the mystery of her roots became too much to ignore. 

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Source: Hillary Harris/Facebook

Hillary set off on an adventure to uncover the truth about where she came from. Armed with nothing but curiosity and determination, She ultimately wished to uncover the mysteries regarding her past – including information about her biological family that had been hidden away for years!

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Hillary's Journey to Find Her Birth Mom 

Hillary had eagerly anticipated the moment she would discover her birth parents’ names from the adoption agency. But what came next was a surprise – she managed to locate her mom!

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Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

However, upon reuniting with her after years of separation, things didn’t go as planned. As Hillary told the New York Post, it wasn’t quite the reunion she’d envisioned in her dreams. Despite this setback, Hillary was determined and hopeful that one day they will form that special bond.

Reunion Reveals Vital Clues 

Although Hillary’s meeting with her birth mother was not what she expected. She had hoped for an instant connection, but instead found something even more meaningful – the answer to a long-standing mystery. 

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Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

Hillary and her brother Tyler were born as a result of their mother’s affair with Wayne Clouse, providing closure to years of uncertainty. While the reunion wasn’t quite what she anticipated, it still provided essential information that would help shape her future.

Uncovering the Past - Hillary's Journey to Trace her Roots 

Tracing her roots had become a dream of Hillary’s. Sadly, she would never get to meet Wayne, as he had passed away before she began her journey. However, during her search for clues about her family tree.

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Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

Hillary discovered his obituary which allowed her to uncover even more vital information about where she came from. With this newfound knowledge in hand, Hillary was one step closer to piecing together the puzzle of who she truly is and where she belongs!

Wayne's Obituary Unveiled a Surprising Secret! 

Wayne’s obituary revealed more than his passing; it unveiled the surprising secret of two additional daughters, Dawn Johnson and Renee Diericks. Hillary was astonished to learn that all along she had two more siblings!

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She was even more delighted to learn tha one of them, Dawn, had even been crowned queen of the Loyal Corn Festival in 1983 – in Greenwood, Wisconsin. It certainly came as a surprise for her to discover this new piece of family history hidden away in an obituary.

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Hillary's Continued to Search 

Hillary was determined to find her long lost sister Dawn, but no matter how hard she tried, the search seemed impossible. After spending hours on Facebook and scouring pages of results with little luck, it seemed like maybe finding Dawn wasn’t meant to be.

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In an interview with People magazine in 2018, Hillary shared her feelings of hopelessness as she said “I was having no luck with Dawn. I was beginning to think that I’d never find her”. But then something amazing happened – maybe the two will one day meet against all odds.

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A New Neighbourhood for Kurt and his Partner in Eau Claire 

After a long search, Kurt Casperson and his partner finally found their dream home – a two-bedroom house located in the city of Eau Claire. Hillary and her husband just so happened to be their new neighbours! The couple had scoured over 20 different properties before they settled on this one – it was worth every bit of effort. 

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Kurt and his partner were excited to start their new lives together in the neighbourhood; they looked forward to getting acquainted with those around them, especially Hillary’s family. Who knew what kind of lovely surprises lay ahead?

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Heartwarming Encounter with an Unexpected Visitor

Hillary was pleasantly surprised when Kurt, a stranger to her, recently arrived at her next door. But what truly touched her heart was meeting his companion – Dawn from Greenwood. 

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She instantly had a connection with the woman and couldn’t help but feel their was something deeper. As Hillary told the New York Post, “Something first clicked in June when I found out her name was Dawn and she was from Greenwood.” 

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A Coincidental Encounter with a Familiar Name

When Hillary and her husband, Lance, heard the name Dawn they both stopped in their tracks. After sharing a few laughs about it being an uncanny coincidence that someone else had the same name as her long lost sister, they dismissed it without thinking much of it. 

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They joked about how she could be heir sister for a few weeks before ultimately brushing off the whole thing – but little did they know what an amazing friendship lay ahead of them!

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Could it be A Surprise Reunion

Hillary and her husband had a good laugh when they heard their neighbours first name. There was no way, they both thought. But then, one day a mysterious package arrived at his doorstep. 

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Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

This gave Hillary the chance to find out her neighbor’s surname and confirm what she never expected – Could their humorous suspicions turned out to be true! Could he unknowingly be living next door to her sibling.

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Red Tarps Lead to a Surprising Discovery 

Hillary noticed that her neighbors had received a large shipment of roof shingles. Sitting atop the pile was an eye-catching red tarpaulin, inscribed with the customer’s full name, she knew it may be her only opportunity – so she took a peak, and the name inscribed was in fact Dawn Johnson!

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

With her emotions running high and all sorts of thoughts running through her mind, she wondered could this really be her own long lost sister Dawn Johnson, or just another strange coincidence. She was intrigued and had to find out more!

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Dreams Do Come True!

Hillary was ecstatic when she found out her neighbor’s last name. She jumped up and down, barely able to contain her excitement as she called Lance with the news – “Her name is Dawn Johnson! It has to be her”. 

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Source: Hillary Harris/Facebook

Could this really be true? Was it possible that long lost family had been so close all along? The suspense was killing Hillary as she waited for confirmation of what seemed like an impossible dream come true.

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Hillary's Fear of Rejection 

Lance was determined to get some answers, and he wasn’t going to let a little thing like fear stand in their way. No matter how nervous she felt, Hillary knew that the only way forward was to confront their neighbour. 

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But she felt she just couldn’t overcome her fears, she confessed to People “I was just so nervous, and I was worried about rejection,”. Will Hillary push herself out of her comfort zone — ultimately discovering the truth she has been seeking all along?

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Facing Fear and Finding Courage 

After a long day, Hillary was ready to face her fear. She had been holding in an intensity of emotions that she finally mustered up the courage to express. That night, she shook with nerves as her fingers hovered over her phone screen before eventually pressing.

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She sent out a text message to her neighbor. As she told The New York Post, “I began to shake. It was such an intense moment. It was late at night, but I finally got the courage to text her” Taking this brave step required all of Hillary’s inner strength – but it also showed just how strong one can be when searching for their truth

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A Surprising Question for a Long-Lost Sister

Hillary knew she had found her long-lost half-sister when she stumbled upon the information. She couldn’t help but ask an unexpected question, and so she texted Dawn – “Were you the Loyal Corn Fest queen in 1983?” 

Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

The query left Dawn puzzled at first, as it was certainly an odd thing to inquire out of nowhere. Yet there was something special about this moment – Hillary didnt want to scare dawn off and hoped this question would be the right way.

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An Unexpected Confession 

Dawn couldn’t help but giggle when Hillary asked her the unexpected question. “LOL, why are you asking that?” she responded with a smirk. Despite Hillary’s feelings of apprehension, she knew she had to persevere.

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She was determined to get the answer she had been searching for and mustered up all her courage before inquiring again – this time more firmly. “Who is your birth father?” Dawn took a deep breath before finally revealing the truth… “Wayne Clouse”.

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Sisterly Bond Stronger Than Ever! 

When Hillary heard the news, she was understandably in shock. She quickly called her sister Dawn and they stayed on the phone for hours talking and crying together. Both of them were amazed at what had happened.

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It was the beginning of a strong and beautiful bond between the newfound sisters. Both were filled with immense emotions of joy, gratitude and surprise at this unexpected turn of events.

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Reunited Sisters Surprise Each Other Living Just 20 Feet Apart 

When Dawn discovered that she had a long-lost sister, the surprise was all the more remarkable when it she found out how close they actually were. “I was as shocked as Hillary was to learn we were sisters,” Dawn told People magazine. 

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Source: Inside Edition/YouTube

“We even share a driveway; we are literally 20 feet apart – how does that happen?” It turns out Dawn had never asked her birth father if there were any other siblings in her family and it took until now for them to make their miraculous connection through these incredible circumstances.

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Reunited and It Feels So Good

After decades of being apart, Dawn and Hillary have been reunited in an incredible way. It’s a story that serves as a reminder to never give up hope, no matter the circumstances! 

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The bond between them was instant; “We’re pretty much inseparable now, and we know this was meant to be. Our story is living proof that it pays not to give up,” Hillary revealed. This remarkable tale proves there is always something special waiting around the corner – even if you have to wait twenty years for it!

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