It was early September 1964 when 15-year-old Walter Banks, Jr. was introduced to 14-year-old Sondra Tyndal at her home in Greenfield, Mass.
First impressions: Walter – “She’s beautiful”; Sondra – “Handsome, but rather stuck up.” As the visit went on, Sondra realized he wasn’t stuck up – just shy.
Right before Walter and his roommate were leaving to return to Mount Hermon (the prep school they attended in Northfield, Mass.), Walter and Sondra shared their first kiss. Fireworks went off for both of them!
Fifty years later, they still discuss how that first kiss felt and how wonderful it was. They were inseparable from that moment on, until June 1965, when Walter graduated, moved to California and attended Stanford University.
In the fall of 1970, Sondra receives a call from her mother telling her that Walter Banks called and asked if he could stay at the house while he attended his five-year Mount Hermon class reunion. He also asked if Sondra was married and if not, could she ask her to come home and attend the reunion with him.
Sondra goes home for the weekend. Walter picks her up from the bus station and they resume as if they had never been apart.
You see, they never broke up – circumstances just separated them. They had a wonderful weekend.
The weekend ends and Walter and Sondra go their separate ways again.
Fast forward 31 years to Aug. 28, 2001. Sondra is looking at Yahoo and People Search is flashing. Sondra thinks, “Who can I look for?” and God says, “Walter Banks.”
So she types in Walter Banks, Palo Alto, Calif. Nothing comes up and a broader search is suggested. She types in W. Banks, Palo Alto, Calif. Up pops one name, address and phone number.
Sondra picks up the phone, dials the number and gets an answering machine.
She says, “If you recognize the name Sondra Tyndal, call this number,” and hangs up.
Walter listens to his messages and deletes all but Sondra’s. But he didn’t hear her name. Two days later he listens to it, picks up the phone and calls Sondra.
Six months later, on April 4, 2002, Walter and Sondra were married in Reno, Nev.
The Banks know it was only God who reunited them. You see, Walter was a confirmed bachelor and Sondra had been married before.
They thank Him every day!
