A mother and father have discovered they have raised the wrong child for 39 years after two babies were accidentally switched a birth.
Vera and Nikolay Lashtur, who live in West Forest, North Carolina, found out that their real daughter is Valentina Suman who is living in Russia.
Since 27 March 1978, they raised another girl, Tatyanna, after the babies were switched in a hospital in Moldova where the couple are originally from.
Vera and Nikolay Lashtur (left and right), who live in West Forest, North Carolina, found out that their real daughter is Valentina Suman (centre) who is living in Russia
In Moldova: Vera and Nikolay Lashtur with their three children including Tatyanna who was not their birth daughter
When the couple, now 67 and 66, were living in Moldova near the family who raised their real daughter there were rumours that the girls were in the wrong families.
But in 1999 the Lashturs moved to the US leaving their real daughter behind without knowing.
But the rumours remained with the family and so they decided to find their real daughter and a DNA test last month told them that Valentina was their girl.
Now her brother Antonily Lashtur, 36, is fundraising to bring the family together at Christmas and hopes to help Valentina and her two children move to the USA.
Anatoliy has assured Tatyanna – the woman he grew up with – that he still considers her his sister. Tatyanna has visited her real family in Moldova since finding out but her real father has died.
Anatoliy, a UPS Driver, said: ‘It’s been 39 years, we heard rumours for a long time but it was difficult to believe or even think of the possibility, that they could be true.
‘They were started by a former neighbour who knew both of the girls’ histories and believed they were switched at birth but didn’t have any proof – she based it on how they looked and acted.
‘My mother knew she was in the hospital the same day as the other woman and while she believed it was just a rumour, eventually she wanted to know the truth.
Tatyanna (far left) and Valentina (second right) were switched at birth
‘There were multiple attempts to find the other family over the years so that we could put all of the rumours to rest but without success.
‘They kept moving from place to place and it was almost impossible to find them, so we moved on believing it wasn’t true.
‘After the rumours resurfaced again my parents became determined more than ever to find the other family, so they travelled to Moldova and with the help of a neighbour found the other mom.
‘A name was given to them, so we could find my biological sister online.
‘After seeing pictures of Valentina we realised she could be our sister, but there was still a large percentage of uncertainty and we needed the DNA tests to be 100% positive.
‘Once the findings were read aloud we cried realising how many years have passed and how many precious moments have been missed.
‘It was discovered that a grave mistake was made, the nursing staff mistakenly switched the babies and both mothers left with hospital with the other’s child.
‘That was the first time we had the opportunity to see our birth sister Valentina, hug each other and cry together – that moment and day will always be special in our lives.
‘We have already lost 39 years with her, so the faster we can reunite her with us the soon we can start the process of enjoying each other and the time we have left.
‘We’re all in our 30s and 40s and have families, so the sooner we are together the better, it would be a Christmas we will never forget and the best gift for everybody involved.’
The rumours originated from a neighbour in their hometown of Hirtop, Moldova, who recognised each child resembled the other family.
Both babies were born on the same day and in the same room, and after coming home each one refused to feed for the first three months, would always cry and were constantly sick.
Anatoliy said: ‘Our neighbour was a good friend to the other family as well as us and knew that both babies came home from hospital the same day.
‘The neighbour knew that for the first three months neither baby would eat, would always be crying and were sick.
‘Then as the girls grew older she started noticing the differences between them and their families.
‘Growing up we heard the story but never knew this could have happened, as a kid you just think it’s a story.’
After tracking down biological sister Valentina online, they quizzed her and eventually after seeing pictures believed there could be a chance she was related.
Anatoliy said: ‘When my sister found her on Facebook, we asked a lot of questions like when she was born and more to confirm who we thought she was.
‘Valentina wondered how we knew so much information, then we asked for pictures of her when she was younger and she looked like our other sister.’
A Russian TV show that reunites lost family members, invited them onto their show where it would be confirmed that Valentina was the Lashtur’s daughter.
Anatoliy said: ‘When the tests were read out we were all crying, it was painful and very emotional, we’ve missed out on 39 years together.
‘Later I spoke to my sister who I grew up with and told her that I love her and nothing changes, to us she will always be our sister, we’ve just gained more family.’
Anatoliy, who is Valentina’s brother and a father of four, had double the reason to celebrate after his wife gave birth to baby Rebeka, the same day the DNA tests were revealed.
Now the Lashtur family are fundraising to bring her to the USA for Christmas, along with raising money for her to move to the US full time.
They’re hoping to raise $10,000 to cover costs for the legal fees, the expedition process, applications fees and pay off her debt so she can move with her daughter and adopted son.
Anatoliy said: ‘We are trying to make-up for lost time that we have never been able to spend with her.
‘In time, we want to bring her to live in the USA but know it’s a long process and have difficulties trying to bring her daughter and an adopted son.
‘For now, we are just focussing on getting her home for the holidays so we can spend our first Christmas together.’