Help Reunite a Mother and Daughter After 20 Years Apart

This is the story of a unique girl and the extraordinary journey that brought her back to the mother she never stopped longing for-even if they lived worlds apart.

In a small hospital room in Shakhtinsk, Kazakhstan, a buzz traveled quickly through the halls. Doctors rushed in, stunned by what they had just witnessed. A newborn baby girl had been born with something none of them had ever seen before. Whispers filled the corridors-some claimed the child wouldn't survive, while others were simply speechless.

Her name was Nikulova Yekaterina Anatolyevna. She was born with Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus (GCMN), an incredibly rare skin condition that covers parts of the body with large, dark birthmarks. Only 1 in 500,000 babies are born with it. Katya was that one.

But this story isn't only about Katya. It's about her mother-Nikulova Tatyana Viktorovna-a woman of deep resilience who had survived war-torn streets during the collapse of the Soviet Union, often finding shelter with nothing but an open fire and her family. A woman who has been kidnapped and by God’s divine power found her way back home.

When she became pregnant with Katya, she had no complications-just hope. Until the day her daughter was born. Doctors told Tatyana her baby would die unless she gave her up. For five days, she resisted. But eventually, overwhelmed and broken, she signed the papers. Tatyana went home with an empty heart. She became bedridden with grief. She wouldn't eat. She couldn't speak. She felt as though her soul had been torn in two.

Until one day, her mother placed a box of kittens at her bedside. One was the runt of the litter-fragile and needy. He cried through the night for milk, and Tatyana connected with him instantly. She named him Son, and for the next 18 years, he filled the space Katya had left behind. On the other side of the world, Katya-now renamed Caitlin-was adopted by a Christian family in Colorado. She grew up surrounded by love, faith, and a deep sense that God was guiding her life.

Years later, God called Caitlin to New Zealand to attend YWAM (Youth With A Mission). It was there that her heart was stirred to learn a new language-Russian, the language she had spoken until she was two and a half, before her adoption. She began with Duolingo but soon sought a deeper path and found a private tutor through a website called Preply. Out of hundreds of tutors, she chose Anastasia-a woman she would later discover was part of something far bigger than either of them imagined.

One day, during a casual conversation, Anastasia mentioned she lived in Karaganda-just outside Shakhtinsk. Caitlin lit up. That was her birthplace. She shared a little of her story and after Anastasia suggested, "Do you want me to try and find your birth mom?" Neither of them expected what would happen next. That night, Anastasia searched the Russian version of Instagram using the rare name from Caitlin's adoption records. She found her within hours.

The next morning, Caitlin woke up to a text that simply read: "I think I found your mother." Stunned, Caitlin dug through old adoption documents to verify the name, date of birth, and city. It all matched. It was her. It had to be. Anastasia sent messages to Tatyana's social media but heard nothing back. They waited two weeks. Still no response. Then Anastasia-a former journalist-got on a bus to investigate in person. What happened next changed everything. She found an elderly woman at the address listed on Caitlin's adoption forms. It was Caitlin's grandmother.

Later, guided by Caitlin’s grandmother, Anastasia walked into the local home improvement store and asked for Tatyana. When Tatyana stepped out, Anastasia showed her photos of Caitlin and shared why she was there and the story about meeting Caitlin. Tatyana's eyes filled with tears. Her voice trembled. She said, "I had a feeling this would be the year I'd meet my daughter."

That same Sunday morning, while Caitlin was getting ready for work, she got a WhatsApp message. It was from her mother. "здравствуйте Катя." Her heart raced. She prayed quickly and responded: "здравствуйте мама." And just like that, the gap of two decades began to close. Every day since, Caitlin and Tatyana have exchanged messages. They have not missed a single day. From thousands of miles away, they are building a bond that time, distance, and pain could not destroy.

Recently, Caitlin asked her mom if she'd ever consider visiting America. Tatyana's hands shook. She never dreamed such a thing was possible. She had never flown before. She didn't even own a passport. Caitlin suggested that Anastasia-who has become a friend and translator-join her on the trip.

Both women were deeply moved... but hesitant. Not because they didn't want to come. Because they couldn't afford it.

Tatyana and Anastasia each earn about $4,000 USD a year. A journey like this is far beyond their means. That's why we're creating this GoFundMe. To reunite a mother and daughter after 20 years apart. To help heal a heartbroken mother and bring joy to a daughter who never stopped wondering if she was forgotten. To prove that love-real, resilient love-can cross oceans, borders, and decades.

Will you help us bring them together?

Every donation, no matter how small, is a step closer to that long-awaited embrace.

Thank you for being a part of this miracle.