Couple find love again after 20 years apart

Sep 10 2010 by Jackie Grant, Dumfries Standard Friday

Couple find love again after 20 years apart

WHEN Kirkconnel couple David Bridgley and Emma Hern tie the knot on September 24, it will be the “perfect outcome” to a love story stretching over two decades.

Not only will the pair be the first couple to marry in the village’s brand new register office, but they will also mark the end of a 20-year separation after they met and fell in love as teenagers in a children’s home.

Emma, 36, told the Standard: “I can’t wait to marry David.

“We first met 20 years ago when we were in a children’s care home together.

“He was my first love, but when he was adopted, his name was changed and we lost touch so it was difficult to track him down.

“Last year, I found him on a social networking site and sent him a message straight away. As soon as I saw his face I knew I still loved him.”

David, 35, added: “I was separated from my wife at the time when Emma got in contact, so I was thrilled to hear from her.

“We arranged to meet up, and all the old feelings came flooding back.

“She moved from down south to be with me, and we decided to get married only three weeks later.

“We’ve just carried on from where we left off all those years ago.”

But an even bigger surprise was in store for David when Emma revealed she had been pregnant with his baby when he left the care home.

“It turns out we’d had a son who is now 18,” David said.

“He was taken from Emma by social services and adopted.

“But we’ve been in contact with Ben through letters and photos, and he’s the spitting image of me.

“It felt quite strange when I found out about him.

“Me and my first wife had a son who died in 2006 aged only nine, so Ben was a bolt from the blue.

“We were both young and naive when we first met, but I’m so happy we’ve been able to find each other again and start afresh.”

David and Emma were due to get married in the new registry office next Friday, September 17, but had to change the date in case the building wasn’t ready in time.

David laughed: “We could end up having to get married in Sanquhar registry office if the building in Kirkconnel still doesn’t have any phone lines by then.

“But we hope we are the first couple to get married in the new registry office. It would be the perfect outcome for us.”