11-Year-Olds from Across the World Became Pen Pals in the ‘70s. 51 Years Later, They Meet for the First Time (Exclusive)

When Debbie Houschild was 11 years old, she loved watching a children's tv show called Big Blue Marble.

The half-hour ‘70s programme often highlighted stories of kids from astir nan world and encouraged viewers to link crossed cultures.

At nan extremity of each episode, nan show offered an opportunity to constitute successful and petition a pen pal.

Curious and eager to make a caller friend, Houschild sent successful a missive — not knowing that nan personification she’d beryllium paired pinch would go a lifelong companion.

Houschild was matched pinch Jane Bean, a woman her property surviving successful England, while she herself was increasing up successful New Jersey.

Despite having astir 3,500 miles betwixt them, nan 2 quickly bonded done their letters — regularly sharing glimpses into their lives arsenic they grew up successful different parts of nan world.

“We would show each different astir what was going connected successful our lives astatine nan time,” Houschild tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Over each nan years, that changed from teenage types of things to getting married, jobs, having children and really our lives went from there.”

As nan years went connected and they grew busier, Houschild and Bean’s connection people became little predominant — but they ever recovered ways to enactment successful touch.

Houschild vividly remembers nan infinitesimal she first heard Bean’s sound complete nan telephone — a astonishing displacement aft years of exchanging only letters. Their conversations later transitioned to Facebook Messenger and yet to WhatsApp.

When they were younger, nan thought of gathering successful personification seemed retired of scope and financial limitations made it difficult. 

But past year, successful 1 of their exchanges, Bean pointed retired that nan brace had reached their "golden anniversary" — a milestone neither of them could ignore. 

“I replied that I request to return a travel to England, and she said, ‘Yes, you do,’” Houschild recalls. “I quickly thought this could beryllium a awesome travel if my daughters tin spell too, and it each came together.”

Before long, nan plans were set, turning a long-held dream into reality. Houschild and her 2 daughters traveled to London connected Aug. 26, 2025, to meet Bean successful personification for nan first time.

Houschild’s daughter, Kimberly Johnson, made judge to seizure and archive nan long-awaited moment betwixt nan 2 pen pals.

“To deliberation they've been friends for complete 5 decades but person ne'er really met... It's crazy!” Johnson, 29, tells PEOPLE.

Following their first hug, Bean gave Houschild and her 2 big daughters a circuit of notable London landmarks, including Buckingham Palace. 

Along nan way, they paused astatine a pub to stock a drink, wherever Houschild brought retired aged photos and cards she had saved from Bean complete nan years — wrapping up their nostalgic conversations pinch luncheon astatine a Hard Rock Café. 

“It was a awesome day,” Houschild admits. “I did wonderment really we would get on successful person, but it genuinely was for illustration being pinch an aged friend.”

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What began arsenic a elemental relationship sparked by a children’s TV show had grown into a uncommon and lasting friendship, built connected decades of shared memories, mailed crossed nan world.

“Without realizing it, complete time, I created a existent relationship pinch personification without gathering them,” Houschild says. “It's been a fun, happy thing.”