From Exchanging Letters To Real Hugs, Two Pen Pals Meet For The First Time In 70 Years

The beauty of friendship lies in its ability to take root in the most unexpected places. This anecdote rings true for two 80-year-old pen pals who have lived in different parts of the world but maintained their distant friendship since 1955. The friends began writing two each other and have finally fulfilled their lifelong wish to meet in person.

Patsy Gregory, who hailed from Hoghton in Lancashire, journeyed almost 4,000 miles to connect with Carol-Ann Krause in Conway, South Carolina, with whom she had been sharing correspondence since the age of 12.

Patsy Gregory’s trip was organized by her children as a gift to celebrate her 80th birthday

Gregory’s trip to meet with her friend was arranged by her three children as a unique 80th birthday present. One of her daughters, Steph Calam, who accompanied Gregory on the journey, disclosed that the meeting had held a top place on her mother’s bucket list. This desire stemmed from the lifelong regret of never meeting her pen pal in person.

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“Mum has always wanted to meet her American penfriend,” she explained. “It was very emotional when they met, I was quite choked up when they hugged for the first time. They hit it off instantly and have a lot in common. They’ve been talking non-stop.”

Pen pals Patsy Gregory and Carol-Ann Krause bonded immediately after they met

Gregory detailed that when she met her Krause, they quickly got along like the pen pals had seen themselves before. “I recognized her immediately,” she said, “and it just felt natural.”

She added that even though they had never met, their friendship was unique as their lives took similar trajectories. “We’re both the same age [and] got married around the same time,” Gregory confessed. “[We] both had three children and we’ve gone through life, all the trials and tribulations, and shared it. It’s absolutely lovely and we’re both still here.”