Two Austrian women, Doris Grünwald and Jessica Baumgartner, who were switched at birth in a Graz hospital, have met after 35 years. Both were born prematurely in October 1990 at LKH-Uniklinikum Graz and were mistakenly given to each other’s families shortly after birth.
In 2012, Doris Grünwald learned of her non-biological connection to her parents when a blood donation revealed that her blood type did not match that of her mother, Evelin. The case was reported by Austrian broadcaster ORF in 2016, but the other family could not be located at that time. Jessica Baumgartner, raised nearby by Herbert and Monika Derler, discovered her own mismatched blood type during her pregnancy when a doctor informed her of the switched-baby situation.
Jessica reached out to Doris through Facebook, and they met in person, the encounter described as akin to reuniting with a sister. Following their meeting, their families also came together, documented by an ORF television crew. Monika Derler expressed feelings of “emotional turmoil” upon hearing the news but emphasized that Jessica would always remain their child. Evelin Grünwald stated that her family had grown and that she felt a sense of certainty regarding their connection.
Gebhard Falzberger, the operations manager at LKH-Uniklinikum, expressed regret over the incident and offered apologies to both families. In response to the situation, the Grünwalds had consulted a lawyer in 2016, leading to the adoption of Doris for inheritance rights and compensation from the hospital. The Derlers are also pursuing adoption and compensation. Jessica mentioned that while she appreciated the clarity now available, she also grappled with mixed emotions tied to the revelation, acknowledging both the beautiful and painful aspects of their newfound connection.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yjeyljw0vo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss