Anhui Feidong Public Security Bureau helps relatives who have been separated for 64 years realize their dream of reunion

In an extraordinary event held on October 21, 2023, the Hefei Public Security Bureau in Anhui Province hosted a reunion ceremony, marking the culmination of a 64-year-long search for lost family ties. This heartfelt occasion showcased the enduring bonds of family and the relentless hope that accompanies them.

Wang Yongrong, a resident of Cuotown in Feidong, arrived at the local police station on September 24, filled with a mix of nervous anticipation and determination. He was there to provide a blood sample—the crucial step that could lead him to the brother he lost track of 64 years ago.

Decades earlier, Wang’s brother went missing at a train station, leaving the family heartbroken and desperate for answers. Over the years, Wang and his relatives often thought of him and sought various ways to locate him. In recent years, following reports about using DNA analysis to find missing relatives, Wang decided to take action. He provided his blood sample to the police, holding onto hope that it would lead to a breakthrough.

After diligent efforts, the Feidong Public Security Bureau found a match. On September 24, they informed Wang that a match had been found in Zhang Zongxian, who lived in Sanmenxia, Henan Province. Wang returned to the police station to provide another blood sample for confirmation.

Five days later, the lab results brought the news Wang had longed for: the sample matched. Zhang Zongxian was indeed his long-lost brother.

On the morning of October 18, at 7 AM, Zhang, accompanied by his son-in-law, drove over 700 kilometers from Sanmenxia to the Feidong Public Security Bureau. After more than six decades apart, the moment they had both been waiting for was finally at hand. In the afternoon, amid witnesses, the two brothers embraced tightly, tears of joy flowing as they reunited.

Hu Ying, head of the DNA lab at the Feidong Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, expressed her emotions at the momentous reunion. “Seeing relatives reunited after more than 60 years fills us with joy; their long efforts have finally paid off.”

Following the emotional reunion, Zhang Zongxian returned home with his brother and family, where younger relatives held a grand welcoming ceremony. A family photo, taken 64 years later, captured the long-awaited moment of togetherness.

According to Zhang Lichun, deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation Division in Hefei, since the Ministry of Public Security launched the “Reunion Action,” the Hefei Public Security Bureau has been expanding leads and utilizing forensic techniques to help reunite separated families. Since 2020, the police in Hefei have successfully assisted over 200 families in achieving their long-held dream of reunion.