The bulk, about a third of the respondents, reconnected within 10 years. But 10 percent reconnected between 26 to 30 years later. One couple was separated for 63 years before reuniting after they were both widowed. They were married on the bride's 80th birthday. Kalish approaches the myths of romantic reconnections to set the record straight.
Rekindled romances are rare.
Kalish figures that roughly 10 percent of the population, or 2.5 million people in the United States, has tried returning to a former love. Reconnector relationships are doomed to fail. About two-thirds of rekindlers remain together. Rekindlers meet at high school reunions. Only about 6 percent meet up at such events.