Veteran Reunites with French Woman He Met During WW-II: ‘I Carried Her Photo in My Wallet for 78 years.’

There’s so much uncertainty in the world, we’re stressed and overworked, and many are watching their dreams slip through their fingers. As a result, love and stories that are more upbeat and positive are something we all could use a little more of. After all, it is a beautiful and powerful force. In this incredibly heartwarming story, a 99-year-old veteran reconnects with a woman he met almost 80 years ago. The pair is absolutely adorable.

A Veteran’s Struggle

A veteran is often someone who’s passionate about their country and patriotic. They sacrifice for the betterment of their country and often face long-term consequences such as PTSD. With their mental health in shambles, so too may their lives be. After their bravery and sacrifice, they should be more highly revered. Despite the hardships they face, occasionally, veterans do get their happily-ever-after.

Falling in Love

In the summer of 1944, Reg Pye was a mere 21 years old. He served in the military as a Royal Engineer with the 22nd Field Company. They were carrying sappers, ammunition, and mines, and their convoy was in a village in Normandy. On June 6th, 1944, commonly referred to as D-Day, troops from the United States and British Commonwealth landed on the beaches of Normandy, with other allies. Troops fought hard and ultimately ended control by Nazi forces.

Sadly, there were around 10,000 casualties, but for Reg Pye, his adventure was only just beginning and 14 days later his life would be forever changed. On that fateful night, later in June, Pye’s convoy was held up in the village of Normandy. The veteran sat with his fellow military personnel enjoying a humble dinner of jam and bread. However, he noticed a young 14-year-old girl staring at him.

The girl’s name was Huguette, and the Royal Engineers driver from Burry Port, South Wales, had no idea that he’d just met the love of his life. The kindhearted veteran offered Huguette his dinner. Shyly, she took it and ran away to eat. However, the next morning Pye found a special surprise; the girl had filled his canister with a little milk and left a picture of herself with him.

That interaction made a significant impact on Reg, and he stated, “In the bleakest of times this bit of human interaction made a huge mark on my life. I have carried her picture in my wallet for 78 years, always hoping we might meet again. The memory of my very brief encounter with this young girl will stay with me forever.”

Read: Why Did Norwegian Teachers Wear Paper Clips During World War II?

Searching for His Love

Finally, about 20 years ago, the veteran visited Normandy hoping to find his lost love. Tragically, he never found her and has spent years wondering about her whereabouts. When a volunteer of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans heard Reg’s story, the association jumped into actioned and launched a social media campaign in the hopes of locating Huguette. The organization located her in just a few short months and reunited the veteran with his long-lost love. The campaign was launched and June of 2022.

By December, they had tracked down Huguette, and the couple was reunited. As a result, 92-year-old, Huguette, met the veteran in France. Their reunion was a happy occasion in which they were surrounded by family, and an interpreter. Pye showed him the picture he’d kept for all these years and offered her another meal of jam and bread. “We got older, but we’re still the same,” Huguette said.

Others Step in to Help

Paul Cook, a charity volunteer, said, “There are no words to describe how elated I am that Reg has found Huguette, this is like a Hollywood blockbuster, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this beautiful story was made into a film.”

It has been nearly 80 years since the pair met, and they are now happily reunited. Reg shares his gratitude stating, “I cannot believe that she has finally been found and I wish to thank everyone, including our friend Emma, our cab driver Paul and the Taxi Charity’s French adviser Nathalie Varniere, who have helped to make my dream come true.”

We all face hardships in life. We lose the people we love, face disease, famine, and limited resources, and the list goes on. Particularly, this is true for a veteran, as they often have more trauma than many could ever fathom. Although times get tough, many Military personnel find many reasons to stay hopeful and find happiness. This couple’s story is straight out of a fairy tale, and hopefully, their final days will be blissfully spent together.

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