A widow has discovered long-lost relatives she never knew existed after a stranger bought her grandfather's WWI medals on eBay.
Jocelyn Trent, 65, thought her only remaining family was her 39-year-old daughter after her husband's death 22 years ago.
However, she has now discovered 18 surviving second cousins after a stranger bought the medals.
Adam Simpson-York, 35, has spent lockdown buying unwanted war medals online and then reuniting them with their families.
He reached out to Jocelyn, from Peterborough, after buying her grandad's medals on eBay.
Before he messaged Jocelyn, she had no clue her grandfather, Charles Leonard Sharman, had served in the Royal Garrison Artillery during the First World War.
But finding out more detail about her grandfather's past enabled her to research into her family tree.
Talking on Good Morning Britain, Jocelyn admitted it was 'overwhelming' to discover her family history.
She said: "Seriously, to think this could possibly happen – especially in the dark days.
"It was unbelievable, it was like this ray of sunshine came into my life and introduced me to new hope."
She added: "I have 18 surviving second cousins, of which three have been in touch, I also found out the history, going back to 1803, of my grandfather.
"All I knew was what my mum shared with me – she had a sad upbringing – that he worked for the railway in Doncaster, but I didn't know he was born in Peterborough."
Adam, from Suffolk, has reunited various other families with their relatives old war medals.
He says he's not doing it financial gain, and always 'recycles' any money he makes for the next medal.
Adam commented: "I always offer the family the chance to give me back whatever they can.
"I let them know what I've spent and let them decide what they send me.
"I'm not in it for profit, I recycle it for the next one."
Jocelyn has praised Adam, calling him an 'angel' for allowing her to reconnect with the family she didn't know she had.
She gushed: "What he's done, he's done for no financial gain. He's done by the kindness and purity of his heart.
"He's changed my life and it's due to him I can reconnect and have a future to look forward to. He's my angel, I bless him."
Jocelyn nearly missed out on finding her family, as she initially ignored Adam's first attempt to contact her on Facebook.
Luckily her persisted and she now plans on meeting them all in person once safe to do so.
Adam, a postman, bought the service medal and a victory medal on eBay for £35 and has now set up a Facebook page, Medals Going Home, to document his work.
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