By Kyra Alessandrini
Two Howard University alumni showed that fraternity bonds last a lifetime. This holiday season, Frank W. Merritt Jr. and Charles Floyd Johnson reconnected 65 years after crossing Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. together.
The line brothers were both part of Howard Universityâs Class of 1961 and crossed Omega Psi Phi on April 9, 1960. Up until recently, they hadnât met in person in over six decades.
âMy father and Charles have been in loose email contact over the years,â Byron Merritt, Frank Merritt Jr.âs son said in an interview with Watch The Yard. âBut they havenât seen each other in 65 years.â
Three years ago, Merritt Jr. traveled from Virginia to Los Angeles to spend time with his son for the holidays. Johnson also lives in the city, but they didnât get to reconnect until Merritt came up with an idea. He found Johnson online and arranged for him to give his father a phone call on his birthday, Dec. 26.
Merritt made sure they were both in the same city during the holidays in order for them to finally reconnect in person.
âCharlie came by our house, and they reunited after 65 years,â he told the news outlet.
The reunion is heartwarming reminder that the bonds created through the Divine 9 last beyond graduation and can stretch over a lifetime.