Sisters Katie (left) and Lizzie
Two sisters who had never met have found each other by chance in a creative writing class at Columbia University in New York. They were born to the same teenage mother but adopted separately and raised in different parts of the U.S. Lizzie Valverde and Katy Olson, both in their 30s, met in January 2013 on the first day of the class at Columbia University, the New York Times reports. When the students introduced themselves, Olson was shocked to hear Valverde tell of her background, which matched many details of her own, according to the report. Though they grew up under very different circumstances, one in New Jersey and the other in Florida, both women decided to move to New York around the same time and pursue their careers. Through her research, Olson knew she had a sister but not much more. Valverde knew their mother had a rocky past and a criminal record but had no idea she had a sister. Valverde will graduate Monday. Her sister and their birth mother, Leslie Parker, are expected be in attendance.
