Cape Town – The parents of Zephany Nurse have kissed and made up and are back together.
Celeste and Morné Nurse split up shortly after their long-lost daughter was found in 2015.
They went their separate ways and even struck up romances with other people, with Morné fathering a child with another woman.
But now Celeste, 40, and Morné, 42, who have four children together, have apparently rekindled their relationship after five years and no one appears happier about this than Zephany, who prefers to be called Miché, the name her kidnapper gave her.
Celeste took to Facebook last week to share the happy news, posting a picture of her and Morné, which appears to have taken some of her friends by surprise, judging by the comments on her post.
In the selfie taken by Morné, he embraces a smiling Celeste.
Zephany Nurse, 23 Picture: Facebook
She captioned the picture: “What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder,” which is a Bible verse out of Matthew 19:6.
Shocked Facebook friends responded on the post and congratulated the happy couple.
One woman wrote: “I have goosebumps! What an awesome God we serve. So happy... Beautiful couple. My heart is jumping with joy.”
While another commented: “Oohhhh hoe lyk julle dan nou soos dai dae wat ons almal nog young and in love was lol.”
Miché shared the image on her own Facebook profile and captioned it: “Mom and dad. #Restoration #Remarkable #Not without Jesus”.
Her post was greeted with shock and delight by family and friends.
Morné commented on Miché’s post: “Amen Zephany God is good all the time.”
Twenty-three-year-old Miché, a single mom, has blessed her parents with two beautiful grandchildren.
There was tension in the family last year when Miché published an autobiography in which she describes her feelings at being reunited with her biological parents.
Among others, Miché writes in her book, titled Zephany, Two Mothers, One Daughter, that the relationship between her and the Nurses had broken down, that she found Celeste to be childish and unreliable and that Morné was “a lost cause” and only out to make money from their heartbreaking story.
At the time, Celeste said she was heartbroken over the book, while Morné refused to comment.
Zephany was stolen from Groote Schuur Hospital on 30 April 1997, three days after she was born, while lying by the then 17-year-old Celeste’s side.
She was discovered 17 years later when Morné met her and noticed the striking resemblance with her younger sister Cassidy, with whom she had become friends at high school.
Lavona Solomon, 53, from Lavender Hill was convicted to 10 years behind bars.
In the past few years, Celeste has also survived breast cancer.
The Daily Voice yesterday attempted to reach the Nurses, but they did not respond to calls or text messages.