You want a feel-good story? How about one nearly 80 years in the making?
A 97 year-old World War II veteran was reunited with the three children he found hiding in a basket in an Italian village as the Nazi retreated in 1944 thanks to his daughter's social media sleuthing.
Floridian Martin Adler had an old photo of him as a 20-year-old soldier with the three kids, and he'd held onto it since 1944.
His daughter managed to find the three (who are now in their 80s themselves) using social media, and arranged a reunion for her father.
On Monday, the 97-year-old met the three siblings - now octogenarians themselves - in person for the first time since the war.
Adler held out his hand to grasp those of Bruno, Mafalda and Giuliana Naldi for the joyful reunion at Bologna's airport after a 20-hour journey from his home in Boca Raton, Florida.
Then, just as he did as a 20-year-old soldier in their village of Monterenzio, about 19 miles south of Bologna, he handed out bars of American chocolate.
In 1944, Adler stumbled upon the kids in barrels their mother had hidden them in. With the Nazis in full retreat, he initially thought the children might be several of their soldiers, but their mother ran out and put herself between Adler and her children so he wouldn't shoot.
'The mother, Mamma, came out and stood right in front of my gun to stop me (from) shooting,' Adler recalled.
'She put her stomach right against my gun, yelling, "Bambinis! Bambinis! Bambinis!" pounding my chest,' Adler recalled.
'That was a real hero, the mother, not me. The mother was a real hero. Can you imagine you standing yourself in front of a gun and screaming, "Children! No!"' he said.
Adler's company stayed in the children's village for awhile where he got to know them better before heading home.
The Italian siblings have six combined children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
As for Adler, he's planning on touring a bit more of Italy with the hopes of meeting Pope Francis before he heads home!
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