Last August, Diane Marlatt sat with tears in her eyes at a Tim HortonB次元官网网址檚 restaurant in Victoria and met her brother Gary who had been lost from the family for more than 25 years.

Through an article that ran in the Saanich B次元官网网址, Diane learned that Gary Marlatt, then 64 and suffering from years of untreated mental illness, had come to be known as B次元官网网址淒erry.B次元官网网址�

The soft spoken man was a fixture around Greater Victoria Tim Hortons locations, the jumping off point for two anonymous Good Samaritans to help him connect with doctors, mental health agencies, and his family.

Diane, who travelled from her home in Welland, Ont., was pleased to have met with GaryB次元官网网址檚 care providers. She confirmed his identity and helped him secure long-term housing and social services.

Most comforting, though, was the knowledge that her younger brother, after years of living on the street, was alive.

Now almost exactly a year later, it happened again.

A second of DianeB次元官网网址檚 five siblings who had also been disconnected from the family for more than 40 years and living on the street, was located this week.

Although the details are changed, the core of story remains the same. An outreach worker in Toronto had come across the stories about Gary in the B次元官网网址 and contacted Diane to confirm the identity of her other lost brother, Bob.

B次元官网网址淚 was delighted and mystified,B次元官网网址� Diane said. B次元官网网址淚t was my summertime surprise.B次元官网网址�

A day after Diane first spoke to Bob, now 63, since he left the house as a teen, sheB次元官网网址檚 able to laugh about the experience.

B次元官网网址淏obB次元官网网址檚 always danced to his own drum B次元官网网址� both boys did B次元官网网址� but they were different drums,B次元官网网址� she said.

One of the few details that Gary remembered from his past was that he had a brother named Robert B次元官网网址� despite having had not seen the man in four decades.

Diane, who had searched for her brothers periodically over the years, attributes her brothersB次元官网网址� disconnection from the family to the lack of love and abuse they suffered at the hand of their father. It was a situation she felt unequipped to intervene in as a young girl.

Bob now has DianeB次元官网网址檚 telephone number and an invitation to meet her and the surviving members of the family. Unlike her trip last summer to meet Gary, sheB次元官网网址檚 waiting for Bob, who doesnB次元官网网址檛 face the same mental health challenges as his brother, to reach out.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had a good career, three sons and five wonderful grandkids,B次元官网网址� Diane said. B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 kind of nice to have things tucked into place. IB次元官网网址檝e always had unfinished business with my brothers.B次元官网网址�

Gary remains stably housed in Saanich and is happy and healthy, according to friends.

B次元官网网址淏ob was always a fun-loving, happy guy and he seemed to be quite happy when I talked to him,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a gamut of emotion.B次元官网网址�

nnorth@saanichnews.com