One evening in Bethesda, MD,  Fox Hill resident Sherry Migdail and her friends asked their waiter where he was born. The conversation led to additional questions regarding his family and he added that his mother was born in Haiti and his father in Liverpool, England. Sherry turned around to look at waiter Daniel James’ nametag and delightedly said, “Your mother’s name is Jessie and your father is also Daniel James. You were born in 1963, and I was there.” 

Daniel caught his breath and could hardly utter a word. To both their amazement, Sherry continued to explain that she was present at the hospital when he was born and hosted his baby shower at her home.

As it turns out, Sherry’s husband and Daniel’s father worked together as foreign correspondents in Mexico City in the 1960’s and the families became close friends. A few years after Daniel was born, the Migdails returned to the states and ultimately lost touch with the James family. Since then, Sherry’s husband and Daniel’s parents have passed away, but as fate would have it, these two have been able to reconnect and are enjoying a newfound friendship.

Every day, Daniel now gets the opportunity to learn something new as Sherry shares fascinating stories about his family. She considers herself his “long-lost aunt.”

This story reminds us that you never know what each day will bring and the connections you’ll make. Sherry Migdail and Daniel James’ day brought them a few decades of unexpected yet extraordinary memories.

Not surprisingly, Sherry and Daniel’s amazing story captured the attention of local media. Make sure to check out the full story on NBC Washington and hear straight from them both.