A war II veteran K.T. Robbins reunited with the love of his life after 75 years. I’m sobbing!
Robbins, 97, was 24 when he met Jeannine Pierson in 1944. The 92-year-old lady was 18 back then. The war only made their love stronger. Robbins was stationed in Jeanine’s hometown, Briey, a town in the north-east of France. He met the lady through her mother who washed his dirty clothes.
Two months after falling in love with each other, Robbins was sent to fight the Axis Powers at the Easter front.
He had to leave the love of his life. His heart was sad and filled with promises.
“I told her maybe I’ll come back and take you, but it did not happen like that,” the war veteran said in his interview with a French television channel France 2.
Jeanine’s heart broke. “When he left in the truck I cried, of course, I was very sad,” she said. “I wish, after the war, he hadn’t returned to America.”
🇫🇷🇺🇲♥ 75 years after #DDay, 98-year-old war #veteran K.T. Robbins met with his long-lost French love.
All these years, he kept her picture and the memory of her name: Jeannine Ganaye. ⤵ pic.twitter.com/5gbUTyUwaI
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) June 11, 2019
The war was brought to an end in 1945. Poor Jeanine was waiting for her American man and even learned some English phrases.
Robbins didn’t show up. He was enlisted in the 26th Infantry, First Division, and returned home after serving in a bakery battalion. He met Lillian and they got married. In 2015, Lillian died at 92, after celebrating the 70th wedding anniversary.
Jeannine fell in love, too. She got married in 1949 and had five children.
Robbins still remembered his Jeannine. He still had a 75-year-old black-and-white photo of lovely Jeannine.
The veteran traveled to Normandy in France to join the 75th D-Day anniversary celebrations. Robbins hoped to see Jeannine in the crowd.
When French journalists approached him to hear his WWII story, Robbins asked for help. He wanted to see his beautiful Jeannine again. “For sure I won’t ever get to see her,” the veteran said.
Luckily, journalists found Jeannine. She was living at a retirement home in Montigny-lès-Metz, Moselle, about 28 miles from the place where they first met.
Robbins couldn’t hide his excitement. He even kissed the person who brought the good news.
The meeting was arranged and Robbins and Jeannine shared a long embrace. Yes, she had forgotten her English, and Robbins couldn’t say a word in French. They held hands and enjoyed the moment.
“I always loved you. You never got out of my heart,” Robbins told Jeannine.
“He said he loves me. I understood that much,” the joyful lady told journalists who were translating.
"I thought we have to look for her. Otherwise, we are going to regret it": @AgnesVahramian explains the backstage of the incredible love story between K.T. Robbins 🇺🇸 and Jeannine Ganaye 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/tMpzlCBdAQ
— France TV Washington (@F2Washington) June 12, 2019
Robbins showed the photo he was holding close for so long. “This is you,” he said, leaving Jeannine speechless.
So, why didn’t he reach for her?
“I’ve always thought of him, thinking maybe he’ll come. I wish he had come back,” Jeannine said.
“You know, when you get married, after that you can’t do it anymore,” the US veteran responded.
Robbins left after a few hours to join the D-Day celebrations. Jeannine’s husband had died too.
Jeannine and her American boy promised to meet again. “Jeannine, I love you girl,” Robbins said after waving his goodbye and kissing the French lady. Their eyes were filled with tears. They had to say “goodbye” again.
