After her baby was taken from her at a young age, Salome Tadford had been searching for her son for almost 40 years. After years of waiting she was finally reunited with her son Fritz Brandon Olmar Erasmus.

Although their story has a happy ending it started out sad. At the age of 12-years old Salome was raped and later gave birth to a daughter. Soon after the birth of her daughter Salome was raped again. In 1981 when she was 14-years old she was continuously sexually assaulted by her step-brother from her mother’s first marriage. He was 24-years old at the time and visiting for a few months.

She began suspecting that she was pregnant again but did not know how to tell her parents. On 17 September 1981 she gave birth alone in a house for unwed mothers all alone. Brandon was born weighing just over 3kg and had a unique feature, a birth mark on his chest. When Brandon was three months old and while Salome was alone at home with her children people claiming to be from the welfare arrived and took her son from her. All she had was one photo that she carried with her everywhere she went.

My mom and dad were at work and these people just took my son away. I was left there all alone and very confused.”

After all the trauma Salome started a non profit where she helps young mothers through their journey and also encourages them to go back to school and get an education. She also married an amazing man and had more children. But the search for her son continued and she explained that she had always wondered about her son. They officially started searching in 2012 and after she opened the Facebook page “seun waar is jy?’ many media houses picked the story up and she also did some media interviews. And through that Brandon read her story and realised she was looking for him.

Then on July 5 her day started like any other. While boiling water to make coffee she noticed that she had received a message from an unknown number.

The message read: “Hi, I am sorry to bother so early. But your story had me in tears and I think I have information. I know a Brandon but his birthday is on the 18th of September 1981 and not the 17th. Also on his adoption forms it says Fritz Brandon Olmar Erasmus. Could it be the same person?

She immediately asked her husband to read the message and double check that she read right. He told her to ask the sender if there is any more information.

She responded and asked if she could have more information and the sender sent her a copy of the adoption papers. Except for the date of birth being one day later all the other boxes checked.

“Hospital of birth is Discoverers which is where he was born. Then we notice a handwritten message on the right of the adoption paper. Mother. Salome Erasmus. It immediately strikes me. I know this handwriting. This is my mothers handwriting on my son’s adoption papers.”

Then after almost 40-years she received a message from her son tat said ‘hello there’. He called her later that day and by 13:20 she and her husband were in the car on their way to Pretoria where Salome met her son for the first time.

I have my arms around my son. After over 40 years I finally get to hold my son in my arms again. Even though I have to stand on my toes to reach around his neck. He has grown up to be quite a tall man.”

She said that while the day drew to a close she still did not want to go home, she wanted to stay in that moment forever.

“That night I climb into bed. My prayers have changed. It’s no longer “keep him safe and return him to me” my prayers now are. “Thank you God for returning him to me and for keeping him safe all these years.”.

Since then they have chatted constantly and Brandon and his daughter have both gone to visit Salome and meet two of his other siblings and Salome’s four grand children.

Brandon told the News that he always knew he was adopted but that he had an amazing childhood. His adopted mother has since passed away but he said that his mother was his everything. His best friend and that they did everything together.

He wanted to find his adopted mother but never really searched for her until he found his and posted his adoption papers. Brandon lives in Pretoria and said when he first found Salome he was excited and a little bit confused. When he first met Salome he was very happy and said that he thought to himself that now he has a real family somewhere. He plans on continuing to build on the relationship between him and Salome and build a real mother son relationship.

Salome said that she does not feel that she has closed a chapter in her life but that this is rather the start. She said that Brandon is a good man and that her granddaughter is a wonderful young girl and they became attached to each other quickly.

Her eldest daughter lives in Kwa-Zulu Natal and she hopes that they can have big family gathering soon.