For years, Shayna Davison would go on a daily walk from her home at the Blue Ridge apartments on Tessaro Crescent in Abbotsford.

On those regular strolls, Davison would pass by a neighbouring house and engage in small talk with a friendly woman who resided there.

They鈥檇 say hello to each other, talk about the weather and give attention to Davison鈥檚 dog.

Both women told The News that something drew them to each other on those chance encounters, a sense of closeness seemed to naturally occur between the pair, but it was never anything more than two acquaintances briefly chatting.

Years later as a pandemic raged on and COVID-19 forced many people into their homes, Davison received a Facebook message from her older sister saying, 鈥淪issy, we need to talk.鈥�

Moments later Davison entered a FaceTime chat with her sister and another woman, who she quickly recognized as the same person she would encounter on Tessaro Crescent. What her sister said next changed Davison鈥檚 life forever.

鈥淪issy, this is our sister,鈥� she said.

It was during that conversation when it was revealed that Davison鈥檚 niece had submitted her DNA for ancestry research and made a number of remarkable discoveries. Davison鈥檚 father had an entire separate family and had children with another woman before meeting their mother.

Davison and her sisters had never known they had three other half-sisters - one of whom was Beth Davison - the very same woman that she had interacted with so many years ago on Tessaro Crescent. Neither Beth nor Shayna had any idea their new half-sister had lived in the same city for so many years, or that they had spoken many times before.

鈥淲e did recognize each other and I just kind of said, 鈥楬i, nice to meet you,鈥� 鈥� Shayna said, laughing as she recalled the unique introduction. 鈥淲e instantly noticed we had a lot in common, we like the same music, we both love animals and to laugh at our sisters. We鈥檝e only known each other for a few weeks but we are already finishing each other鈥檚 sentences.鈥�

They went on to discover their father had three children apiece with their mothers. Shayna鈥檚 full siblings are Katrina and April, Beth鈥檚 are Rosemary and Brenda. Unfortunately both Brenda and April have passed away. Katrina is now located in St. Catharines, Ont. and Rosemary is in Saskatoon, Sask.

Their father is no longer in any of their lives and the pair believe he may have other children spread out across the country. According to the sisters their father was married at least five times.

Beth said the discovery of her new siblings has brought more meaning to her life.

鈥淣ow I feel like I鈥檓 not so alone anymore because I can pick up the phone now and call my sister anytime,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e become very close, very fast.鈥�

Shayna agreed and said it鈥檚 given her a better understanding of herself.

鈥淔or me a circle has been fulfilled because I鈥檝e always wondered about my father,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 knew he was married before because my mother had told me so I always wondered if there were older siblings out there. It made me feel not so alone anymore. Like she said I can now pick up the phone and talk to her anytime.鈥�

A full reunion of the four living sisters is planned for Abbotsford on Sunday, Aug. 15. Rosemary and Katrina, along with many other family members from both sides of the family are gathering at Beth鈥檚 house. More activities are planned for Monday, Aug. 16.

Both sisters stated that this discovery was a bright light in what has been a terrible time for so many living through the pandemic and it was all thanks to technology that the connection could be made.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been all sorts of bad news with the pandemic and for us to come across each other it鈥檚 been such good news for us,鈥� Shayna said. 鈥淚 feel really happy that the during the pandemic this research was done and I feel like my family is finally completed.鈥�