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These twins have been reunited online after spending 23 years apart.
Tomaz Maranhao and Gabriel Ferreira, who were born on 25 June 1997 in Brazil, were shocked to discover they’d both come photographers.
The twins were separated after their mother, Liduina, and her partner realised they didn’t have the means to support the boys.
This was when the parents made the tough decision of putting the tots up for adoption.
Tomaz was adopted by a family in the city of Fortaleza, while his twin was adopted by a family in the city of Uberaba 2 000km away.
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Their reunion began when Tomaz was introduced to Liduina at the age of 16 and she gave him a photo of his twin’s first birthday party, which she’d received from his adoptive family.
Tomaz tried countless times to try to find his twin on social media but was unsuccessful.
However on 1 June 2020 he noticed that on the back of the photo of his brother was the name of Gabriel’s adoptive mother, Vanda.
He found her on social media within 30 minutes.
“My heart jumped out of my chest. I was sweating until I saw pictures of the lady. I found myself, I saw myself in a photo with a man next to a Volkswagen beetle,” Tomaz said.
“I started to panic because I didn’t believe what was happening and I looked so much like him.”
He managed to contact his brother through a civil police officer, who spoke to Vanda.
Gabriel received a call at work from Vanda saying his brother wanted to contact him.
“It was a big shock for me. I had to sit down and stop to
rationalise what was happening,” Gabriel said.
“My head was going a mile a minute and I couldn’t believe it. I contacted him on Facebook and we moved on to WhatsApp.”
To their surprise, the pair then found out they’re both photographers.
“The shock was even greater when I saw him in casual clothes with a camera hanging on his chest. I couldn’t believe it. It shocks me to this day,” Tomaz added.
“It was then that I saw that photography wasn’t just another thing in my life.”
To Gabriel photography is a hobby as he works in a pharmacy, while Tomaz, who works as an assessor at the Fortaleza Photography Museum, has made it his living.
The twins have been reunited with Liduina via video call, with Gabriel saying he was happy seeing his roots.
“I asked her to feel peace in her heart. The act of putting us up for adoption was heroic and showed she truly wanted to see us healthy and well,” Gabriel said.
The siblings are now waiting for the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil to improve before they can meet in person.
Source: Magazine Features
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