A mom's dream come true: family reunited after 50 years

Posted at: 11/15/2009 7:06 AM | Updated at: 11/15/2009 8:36 PM
By: Kayla Anderson, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Nellie Wick sees her daughter for the first time in over 50 years Saturday

A New Mexico woman who spent more than a half-century searching for her two daughters was finally reunited with them.

Nellie Wick's girls were taken by her husband back in 1958. She never heard from them again--until a tearful reunion in Albuquerque.

"I never thought I would see you again," the 85-year-old woman told her daughter as they saw each other for the first time in 50 years.

But it wasn't just her daughters 85-year-old Nellie Wick was meeting—she also saw her granddaughter for the first time as well.

At 9 years old, Marque Cravens and her 7-year-old sister, Denina, were taken by their dad. Nellie Wick hired a private investigator to find them—but with no luck. Nellie says it was hard to deal with the loneliness.

"I didn't know when I'd see them or not," she said.

The girls grew up and parted ways. About 15 years ago, they reunited when their dad died. But yet again, they lost track of each other.

"I thought I'd never see anybody again," Marque Cravens said.

After years of searching, family members were able to track the sisters on the Internet. Denina flew out to Albuquerque last week. Marque joined them Saturday.

For Nellie Wick, it is a remarkable feeling to have her family back together.

"It's a dream come true," she said.

Marque Wick says she has a family again.

"I'm just so thrilled," she said.

The family says now that they are together, they'll definitely stay in touch.

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