NEED TO KNOW

Debbie Houschild from Oceanport, N.J., and Jane Bean from Sittingbourne, Kent, England, have been pen pals for over five decades

Their friendship formed after they were paired up by a children's television show in the '70s

In August 2025, the pair met in person for the very first time

When Debbie Houschild was 11 years old, she loved watching a children's television show called Big Blue Marble .

The half-hour ‘70s program often highlighted stories of kids from around the world and encouraged viewers to connect across cultures.

At the end of each episode, the show offered an opportunity to write in and request a pen pal.

Curious and eager to make a new friend, Houschild sent in a letter — not knowing that the person she’d be paired with would become a lifelong companio

See Full Page