A pair of twins, each of whom had been adopted from China by different American families, have been reunited yet again on Good Morning America, a year after meeting each other for the first time live on the show.
Audrey was adopted by the Wisconsin-based Doering family and Gracie was adopted by the Rainsberry family, who hail from Richland, Washington some 1,500 miles away.
Last year, Jennifer Doering, Audrey’s mother, discovered that her daughter had a twin sister. She headed to Facebook, where she searched for Nicole Rainsberry, Gracie’s mother. The families connected and geared up for a stunning reunion on GMA.
As Faithwire reported a year ago today, the first meeting between Audrey and Gracie was extremely emotional and had just about everyone in tears. “It’s very overwhelming,” Gracie said as the sisters met for the very first time. Her sister added, “It felt like there was somebody missing. Now, it’s complete.” The reunion video has garnered some 37.5 million views over the past year.
https://www.facebook.com/GoodMorningAmerica/videos/10154249705492061/
The girls have made another appearance on TV to talk about their budding friendship, and what the last year has been like after that extraordinary day.
“I’m not really sure how to explain it,” Gracie. “It’s just really special to have her.”
“The best thing is that we get to spend time together, and get to know each other.”
Now, the girls talk to each other every day over video chat, and the two families have managed to get together four times over the past 12 months, including a dream trip to Seaworld. The twins even celebrated their first joint birthday together.
In the GMA appearance, Audrey’s mother Jennifer talked about how incredible the past year has been, as the families combined to squeeze in as many “firsts” for the sisters as they could.
“Oh my gosh. It has been amazing. The girls are doing all these things together. We’ve got to know each other and figure out how to communicate and how to keep the girls together. It has been a fabulous year.”
Scott Rainsberry, Gracie’s Dad and children’s pastor at Columbia Community Church, was then asked what he has experienced through the merging of the two families. His response was awesome:
“I think it has been good seeing God work through all of it in bringing us all together,” Scott declared. “I just think it has been amazing.”
“Its obviously not ideal raising twins separately,” added Gracie’s mom Nicole. “But God’s turned it into such a beautiful story and He’s used so many great opportunities that the girls have been given and our family have been given to just grow closer together and get to know each other. We have had just wonderful memories already and it has only been a year!
Both families are committed to getting them together as much as possible.”
The girls talked about what it’s like getting to know your twin sister.
“It has been really fun. We get to do a lot of things together. We went cliff diving and horseback riding,” said Gracie. “We kind of talk the same. We’re both very athletic. We like the same foods. We like math,” Audrey added.
Gracie said he most treasured moment was “probably when we went boogie-boarding in San Diego.”
“It was one of the first times we actually bonded as sisters,” she added.
So what surprises them about each other? “I’m surprised she’s a lefty” said Gracie.
And their favorite thing to do together? “Just being with each other,” Audrey answered without hesitation. “Everything!” Gracie added.
Watch the amazing interview below:
https://www.facebook.com/GoodMorningAmerica/videos/10155310479222061/