Navy Vet, 83, Tracking Down the Girl Who 'Got Away' Finally Gets Closure

Lawrence Million, 83, has lived a happy and full life, which saw him travel the world in the U.S. Navy, as well as welcoming three daughters along the way. But despite having a successful life, the one regret that has plagued him for many decades is about "the one who got away."

Million told his daughter, Mariah Million, 33, from central Illinois, that he believes "the love of his life" was a woman named Pearl, who he met in 1961. His one wish would be to reconnect with her again, all these years later, as Mariah told Newsweek that "the truth is, he never stopped thinking of her."

Lawrence met Pearl while he was stationed in Mayport, Florida, with the Navy, on the ship USS FDR CVA-42. When one of his shipmates was seeing his girlfriend Lottie, Lawrence became acquainted with Lottie's sister, Pearl.

"She was a great girl and they were even engaged. Unfortunately, he couldn't bring her home because he didn't have the money to buy a house, and he was so worried Pearl wouldn't take the cold winters well, as she lived in Florida and was used to the warmer weather," Mariah said. "However, six months later he had a job and was determined to have her with him. He tried and tried to find her number, but sadly he couldn't."

Over the years, Lawrence, who has been divorced for 30 years, has tried to find Pearl again, but after finding no leads, he recently asked Mariah to help with the search. Being the millennial that she is, Mariah didn't think twice about taking to TikTok with the story about her dad "searching for an old love."

"He attempted to find her a few times before I even knew about her. Several people had helped him try to find her. When he told me personally, I was probably in my mid-teens, and at first it was kind of heart wrenching, I felt confused. Now that I'm older, I understand him a lot better. I empathize with him, and I was glad to help," Mariah said.

On October 9, she posted a series of images showing Lawrence and Pearl over the years, with a call to action for fellow social media users to spread the word. Needless to say, the video quickly became a viral hit and generated more than 1.8 million views as many people reached out to offer their help.

Following the viral success of the TikTok post, Mariah was contacted by a member of Pearl's family, who let her know that she had sadly passed away in 1989, aged 46.

"Learning this made him sick, he couldn't believe it. Seriously, it breaks my heart hearing him say that. He was hoping to get in touch with Pearl and to at least talk to her. We are very heartbroken it wasn't the outcome we wanted, but now he knows what had come of her," Mariah told Newsweek.

Discovering that that love of his life is no longer here was a devastating blow for Lawrence. But thankfully, Mariah is hoping that there is still something to be gained from the experience, as she is setting up a call between her dad and Lottie for the near future.

How Did TikTok React?

The story has captured many hearts, leading to millions of views and thousands of comments on TikTok. Although the Million family certainly didn't get the outcome they desired, it's been a heartwarming experience, nonetheless.

"So many people became invested, and even helped search for her. They had so much hope for my dad. There were so many leads, and in less than 24 hours, her family reached out to me," Mariah said. "Once I learned she had passed, I felt I had to update the TikTokers. We're happy we got answers, and I'm happy my dad will soon get to talk to an old friend, Pearl's sister, Lottie."

She continued: "I would like to add, despite the fact he regrets not bringing her home, I assure you, he loves his three daughters very much. He has been the best father he could ever be, and I wish I could have gotten to meet Pearl."

Among the 3,100 comments on the post, many offered their support and praised the timeless love story.

One comment reads: "The loveliest part is that although his memory isn't all well, his memory of her is strong."

Another person wrote: "We did this for my dad! We found her and while she is married now, they are basically best friends. I hope you find her!!"

While another TikToker responded: "Imagine living your whole life hoping to catch a glimpse of her, to bump into one another and ask how their life has been."

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