Valley family celebrates one year since long-time-coming reunion

MESA, AZ — Last year, a Valley woman got the surprise of her life over the holidays.

After being reunited with her daughter after more than 50 years, in 2024 Sandra Hicks got to prepare for a family Christmas.

In 1970, Hicks had put her daughter up for a closed adoption, meaning she would have no way of knowing where her daughter lived.

But unbeknownst to Hicks, a young woman across the country, a granddaughter Hicks didn’t know existed, had been doing some research.

After reuniting for the first time over Face-Time, and then meeting in-person for the holidays last year, there were no surprises about who Hicks would be spending Christmas with this year.

See how the reunited family has spent the last year reconnecting and has spent these holidays in the player above.