Whenever 10-year-old Audrey Doering grew anxious, she had a certain way of pushing up her glasses. Jennifer Doering, Audrey’s mother, noticed the move every time and found the little quirk endearing. She knew her daughter so well, right down to the way she laughed and cried; at least, she thought she knew her daughter. Then, a familiar figure in a forgotten photograph indicated she might have been more in the dark than she thought.
The Right Choice
Adoption is a massive decision for any family to make, but Jennifer Doering knew she made the right choice when she brought Audrey home from a Chinese orphanage. Together, they looked to the future — not the past.
A Happier Future
That’s because Audrey didn’t remember much of anything about her brief time in the orphanage. But that didn’t matter. She knew living in Wausau, Wisconsin, with her new mom offered her a much happier life — not one without a few twists and turns, however.
A Special Christmas
In fact, during the Christmas season when she was 10 years old, Audrey didn’t ask for a mountain of new toys and clothes. She didn’t even want anything that could be wrapped. Instead, she wanted to know more about her original family.
Searching
Desperate to make her daughter’s Christmas dream come true, Jennifer started digging. She reached out to the orphanage, hoping someone had information on Audrey’s birth mother. Records could be so spotty.
Tracking Down Audrey’s Ad
To her relief, Jennifer tracked down her daughter’s “finding ad” (which had been initially placed in a Chinese newspaper). Upon discovering the paper work, something immediately sparked intense curiosity.
A Second Child?
Jennifer realized at the time she saw the ad a decade earlier, she didn’t take much notice to the fact there was a second baby in the photo with Audrey’s birth mother. Did her daughter have a twin this whole time?
Reaching Out To The Rainsberrys
After Jennifer and her husband did some digging, they learned the second little girl shared the same birthday and the same congenital heart condition. So, Jennifer reached out to the Rainsberrys, the family who adopted the other baby.
A Mind-blowing Realization
Nicole Rainsberry, the mother, was blown away by the sudden discovery that her daughter Gracie was one half of a pair of identical twins separated at birth! The two moms talked and decided it was time to finally bridge the 1,500-mile gap between them!
The Reunion At Last
This incredible realization caught the interest of the people at Good Morning America, who jumped at the chance to air the reunion between the two girls live in the studio. The audience held their breath as Audrey waited anxiously to meet Gracie.
Together At Last!
As expected, it was an incredibly emotional experience for everyone involved. Both girls instantly embraced each other with tears of joy streaming down their faces. After a decade apart, Audrey and Gracie were together at last — but people had questions.
Chatting With The Host
Once the families sat down to chat with the host about the wild journey they were on, the sisters started uncovering a series of coincidences they just couldn’t ignore.
So Many Similarities
Gracie’s mom said, “It was amazing to me that math was both their favorite subject and despite both having heart conditions that they were amazing athletes.” But, those were far from the only similarities.
“An Incredible Moment”
Even during the initial FaceTime meeting before the Good Morning America reunion, Audrey’s mom said, “When both girls came up on the screen it was an incredible moment. Both had their hair in ponytails to one side, and were wearing the same pair of glasses.”
Identical Mannerisms
“Even though we live in different parts of the country, they spoke in exactly the same way,” Jennifer continued. “Their mannerisms were exactly the same and they even cried the same way.” Questions about nature versus nurture soon arose.
Cut From The Same Cloth
According to the parents, both girls have a tendency to get nervous, and when that happens, they push their glasses up their noses the same way. They truly were cut from the same cloth.
Fate Swooped In
They even had similar food preferences, with each girl listing macaroni and cheese and chicken alfredo as their favorite meals. A decade apart was clearly nothing compared to what fate eventually had in store.
“Another Part Of Me”
Gracie said of Audrey, “I’m not sure how to explain it. Getting to have her is like having another part of me. Whenever we talk and get together, I just feel a connection.”
An Unbreakable Bond
“I can talk to her about a lot of things and I know she will help me through it, and I feel I can do the same for her.” The two girls’ relationship only grew stronger when they started seeing each other at summer camp.
“She’s Part Of Me”
Audrey shared the same touching sentiment about Gracie: “I just love being together with her.” She continued, “When we’re not together I miss her a lot. We speak or text every day. We have this connection, it’s like she’s part of me.”
Only One Difference
“The only way we’re different is I dress up more than Gracie,” Audrey continued. “I like wearing girly clothes and she wears more sporty clothes.” The smiles on the twin’s faces here tell you they’re more than okay being a little different.
A Unique Story
The girls now travel to see each other several times a year, and they look forward to growing closer every day. Audrey and Gracie’s story is unique in that they were identical twins.
