"The summer of 1984 when I first met Stewart now feels like a technicolour fever dream," explains author Julia Kelly, 56. "I remember it so vividly. Aged 15, my parents had divorced, and I was living with my father in Reading, finishing my O levels.
"I first saw Stewart when out with my friend, Simon, and was drawn to his blue Mohican and rebellious attitude. We got together soon after, and I discovered he was thoughtful, intelligent and, like me, loved reading. It only added to his allure that my strict father hugely disapproved!
"We had a mad summer, running amok in Reading with friends, exploring Forbury Gardens and the ancient abbey ruins. I’ve always loved the idea of fantasy lands like Narnia, so secretly climbing over the railings at night to explore our own magical world, with its winding pathways and stargazing, was romantic and exciting.
"At the end of the summer, it wasn’t working out living with my father, so I reluctantly decided to join my mother in rural Herefordshire. Stewart came to visit once, but as I started studying for A levels, he went off travelling and we lost touch."
Julia and Stewart in Forbury Gardens in 1984
Reconnecting online
"I had a couple of serious relationships in my 20s and 30s, but never married. I’d started to suffer badly with rheumatoid arthritis and, by 2008, aged 39, found myself a single parent to three children, still working as an English teacher but increasingly confined to home by debilitating pain.
"That year, I hopped on Facebook one night to see if I could reconnect with any childhood friends. It was a weird but wonderful feeling when a photo popped up suggesting I befriend Stewart Stanley. Not wanting to sound too keen, I dropped a casual message saying I thought we might have met in the 80s. He replied straight away – he was living in Northern Ireland, was single and had two kids.
"It was like dipping my toe in a river but suddenly being swept away, right back to that summer. We spent hours on the phone, often until four in the morning, and meeting up a few weeks later was so intense. We felt like teenagers again, but our adult lives were complex, with five kids between us, so we took time to work things through. Having said that, we both knew almost immediately the connection between us was something special."
Stewart and Julia now
Blending families
"Even though it had only been a summer fling, I had thought about Stewart often and it seemed so natural having him back in my life. After about a year, he and his son Isaac, then 13, moved to live with me. Naturally, it’s not all been plain sailing but 17 years on from our reconnection, I’m proud of our big, blended family, and my children are grateful for everything Stewart does to look after me.
"Revisiting Forbury Gardens after getting back together was still magical. The pathway to our favourite spot was fenced off yet we both had an extraordinary feeling that, if we had been able to walk on, we’d have found our younger selves; like our summer fling was a future echo of the connection we would rediscover.
"My health has deteriorated and I’m now a full-time wheelchair user. I’m thankful Stewart’s support has enabled me to write my debut novel about grief, hope and love, in part inspired by our experience, and that our real-life love story has a happy ending."
The Fisherman’s Gift by Julia Kelly is out now.
Stewart says: "I’d seen Julia’s photo on Facebook before she got in touch and had pangs of regret that we hadn’t stayed in touch. I hadn’t contacted her as I’d assumed she was attached, so it was a wonderful surprise to hear from her. The connection between us felt significant, like we were always meant to be together. That has never changed, even through the challenging times, and it’s wonderful we finally found each other."
This article first appeared in the June 2025 issue of woman&home magazine. Subscribe to the magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
