WWII veteran reunited with his first love after more than 70 years

Norwood Thomas remembers his first true love, Joyce Durrant. The two met during the Second World War but were sadly separated as the war raged on.

More than 70 years would pass by before they would reconnect.

Thomas was sitting in front of a computer at his home in Virginia when the woman he once loved appeared on his screen. They finally came face to face after decades apart for their first Skype conversation and cameras were rolling to capture the special moment, The Virginian-Pilot reports.

“It’s been awhile,” Durrant said to Thomas during their Skype call.

During the war, Thomas was stationed in England with the U.S. Army when he met and began dating Durrant, The Virginian-Pilot reports.

After the war ended, Thomas returned to America and wrote to Durrant asking her to join him and to get married.

Confused by Thomas’ letter, Durrant declined, thinking he was already married and wanted to leave his wife for her.

The two went onto live their life separately, got married and started building their own families.

A few months ago, however, Thomas found out that his wartime love was looking for him, Washington Post reports.

Despite the amount of time that has passed, and the present distance between them, with Durrant living in Australia and Thomas in America, the two chatted away about the past, about how they first met, and their lives since.

“I have a picture frame on my bureau and I say good morning to you every morning,” Durrant said to Thomas during their Skype call, Global News reports.

“I just wish I could give you a hug and tell you good night,” Thomas said, The Virginian-Pilot reports.

The two plan to chat again soon.