American Veteran, 97, Reunites With French Woman, 92, He Fell In Love With During WWII

Ah, the bitter-sweet feelings of your first love is something that you can’t forget. Imagine falling in love with someone who lives abroad during World War II. Doesn’t sound like a long distance relationship can be maintained and true enough, two lovebirds who met in France, KT Robbins and Jeannine Pierson, separated by distance and were married on their own.

But 75 years later, Robbins is still the same man who fell head over heels for an 18-year-old beautiful lady from a small hometown where he was stationed at. The 24-year-old was still serving as the US Army in the northeastern French town of Briey back in 1944.

Jeannine was still Jeannine Ganaye back then.

The two lovebirds are now reunited 75 years later.

It was made possible when a group of journalists arranged a meeting for the two after Robbins told his story.

They first met when Robbins was stationed in Briey, Jeannine’s small hometown in France.

Robbins was looking for someone to do his laundry and Jeannine’s mother offered for help. That was how the two first met and fell in love. Unfortunately, it was short-lived as Robbins was called to quickly fill in the lines of the Eastern Front in the battle against the Axis Power.

They never met again after that, but Robbins always had her pictures. He recalls one false promise he made to her.

“I told her maybe I’ll come back and take you, but it did not happen like that.”

Jeannine chimed in, “When he left in the truck I cried, of course, I was very sad.”

After his departure and the end of World War II, Jeannine began learning English in 1945, holding on to Robbins’ promise. Yet, he returned to America and married his wife of 70 years, Lilian. They both worked in a hardware store in Mississippi for 50 years and Lilian passed away 4 years ago at the age of 92.

Meanwhile, Jeannine also had a family of her own and got married in 1949. She had five children.

But now that they met again, it can be said he finally fulfilled his promise.

Throughout the time Robbins was at war, he kept pictures of Jeannine and her hometown.

These pictures are well kept for 75 years after Robbins left Jeannine for the war. One of them was a portrait of Jeannine and the other was her hometown. He promised to return to this place one day and thought that Jeannine might have passed on to the afterlife, “For sure I won’t ever get to see her.”

He showed the pictures to a group of French journalists who were compiling reports on World War II veterans.

To his delightful surprise, Jeannine is still alive! She’s now Jeannine Pierson and is currently living in a retirement home in Montigny-lès-Metz, Moselle, 27 miles from her hometown.

The journalists helped arrange a meeting for the two and told Robbins, “She’s alive, and she’s waiting for you.”

Robbins was in disbelief as he flew to France to meet his sweetheart, Jeannine, who is ‘alive and waiting for’ him.

As soon as they met, disbelief, amazement and happiness poured out through their face.

Tears were shed, kisses were made and love was blossoming again.

75 years ago, the two were staring into each others’ eyes just like this.

The gaze that they gave each other the moment they get to meet was unbelievably full of love and adoration.

It was where Robbins declare his undying love, “I always loved you. You never got out of my heart.” He took out a picture of her that he’s always kept and surprised her again.

The two are now widows and have promised they would meet again before Robbins left for anniversary celebrations in Normandy.

Watch their emotional reunion below!