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A Korean war veteran from Iowa was finally is able to reunite with his first love after 70 years of searching. His story was like many falling in love while over seas in Japan Duane Mann now 91 was able to meet Peggy Yamaguchi with the help of the internet.
Once the story got out Peggy's son contacted Duane's son to arrange the long anticipated reunion. Duane always knew that he would get a chance to finally tell his first love the reason as to why he never searched for her after he left Japan.
"This girl thinks I abandoned her," he said. "That's really the crux of why I'm here."
a moment he's been waiting for over 70years
"I prayed that I would be able to do that face on face," he said.
His prayers have been answered.
"It's moment in time and that was a moment in time there," Mann said.
It was 1954 when Duane saw Peggy for the last time, while he was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. Peggy was 22 and pregnant when Duane received his new order to go back to the states. He left behind his love Peggy but promised to come back and marry her.
Once Duane retuned home things changed and her letters stopped coming. He then discovers it was his mom who was keeping the letters from him and burning them so he would not be able to fins them.
"She didn't want me to marry a Japanese girl," said Duane.
The last letter that he received said she had lost the baby and married someone else.
"It was over. It set in, that idea that I abandoned her just wore me out and that's not an honorable thing to do," he said.
"I think it was a combination of guilt, confusion and sadness," said Duane's son, Brian Mann.
His son was in support to help his dad fin Peggy and let him know he didn't abandon him.
"We owe it to them to see if this is truly the Peggy that my dad is looking for," said Brian Mann.
During the month of May Duane shared his story and how he was in search of Peggy.
The story started to circulate and Japanese new sources started to share. Viewers reached out posting photos to see if this was her.
The search continued and Duane thought she would still be in Japan he never imagined she was only a few states away. She was closer than he thought only 650 miles away.
"I thought 'what the heck is going on here? What kind of scam artist is this one?'" said Rich Sedenquist, Peggy's oldest son,
is what he thought after listening to the voicemail
"One way to find out," he said. "I took my Bluetooth headphones over there, brought your video clip and I played it and she right away said, 'I remember him. He really loved me.'"
Peggy is now 19 and very alert, she is living with her Navy husband and lives in Michigan.
"He's able to fulfill his dream, his lifelong dream to find the woman that he met and fell in love with and 70 years later, what a wonderful story," said Mike Sedenquist, Peggy's youngest son. "Yep, it's my mom. I love my mom."
They finally reunited, got to hug and kiss and reminisce about the time they spent in Japan
"I was shocked. I was shocked, " said Peggy after learning Duane had been searching for her for seven decades.
"I was scared at first. I thought my mother and Duane wouldn't talk like they did, but when they started smiling and talking it was all worth it. It was all worth it for me," Rich Sedenquist said.
"It's a great example as my dad has always been. Follow your heart, be a kind person and not be afraid to take a step other people won't. It's authentic to me," Brian Mann said.
"I'm here to tell you that I didn't abandon you at all. I just couldn't find you," Duane finally told Peggy.
"Thank you for remembering and save all the pictures, you must have loved me," Peggy said and then hugged and kissed Duane.
Duane shared with Peggy that this whole time he ahs kept her photos with him so he can never forget her.
Peggy even named one of her sons after him , well his middle name so he surly did leave a lasting impression on her.
"Duane. D-U-A-N-E. Now it just came to light how I really got that name and it wasn't by happenstance, it was for a reason," said Mike Sedenquist.
It may have taken 70 years for them to find each other but they are happy they both were able to have closure.
"It's really been a freeing experience for me," he said.
Never give up, and seize every moment.
SOURCE: KETV