All of us at Finders International were sad to hear of the recent passing of Jimmy O’Donnell from Covid-19 on 19th April 2020.
We first met Jimmy back in 2016 when we managed to successfully reunite him with his long lost brother Fred after spotting a plea in a local newspaper from Fred’s daughter Theresa – and what a great character he was… still working in a local bar in Cheltenham aged 80!
Brothers Fred and Jimmy O’Donnell spent a staggering 80 years apart. Their Irish mother gave birth out of wedlock, first to Jimmy, who was placed in an orphanage, and later to Fred, who grew up in a Catholic boy’s institution. Both boys grew up completely unaware of each other’s existence, and their mother was sent to one of Ireland’s notorious Magdalene laundries, where she remained as a ‘fallen woman’ for the rest of her life.
Danny Curran, MD Finders International said “It was an absolute pleasure being able to reunite the brothers and to enable their reunion through our work. One of the pleasures I have personally in the work we do is that we can offer our assistance to deserving cases from time to time. The footage filmed encapsulates the pure joy of the brothers meeting again (and getting on like a house on fire!). I will never forget the wonderful O’Donnell’s and send my condolences to Jimmy’s family and friends”.
This wonderfully touching and emotional story touched us all, and BBC Family Finders broadcast the whole story all the way through to the boys “first Christmas”
R.I.P Jimmy ? We will remember you fondly.
Our thoughts are with Jimmy’s friends and family as this sad time.