Ingrid de Storie: Ocean View’s beloved animal rescuer meets her family at 65

For as long as most people in Ocean View can remember, Ingrid de Storie has been the person neighbours turn to when their pets are sick or in need.

But in August, she stepped away from her daily mission for a journey of a lifetime – flying to the United Kingdom  at the age of 65, and met her brothers and sisters for the very first time. 

Known as “Aunty Ingrid,” she is the co-founder of the non-profit 1 Kennel at a Time and the subject of a 2020 book Shine a Light, written by Noordhoek resident Corrine Wilson.

Her father left for England when she was a small child.

She grew up in Simon’s Town with her mother, but at the age of eight, her family was forcibly removed under Apartheid’s Group Areas Act and relocated to Ocean View.

She last saw her biological father as a child and spent decades wondering if she would ever find her family again.

That dream came true thanks to the help of friends and supporters.

With the encouragement of Ms Wilson, who had already helped Ms de Storie trace her family in 2023, she re-established contact with her sister, Vanessa Grech. 

This gave her the hope that she could one day meet the rest of her siblings, too.

But money was always the obstacle.

Every cent Ms de Storie earns goes back into helping animals.

She spends her days and often her nights arranging vet visits through TEARS, helping with sterilisation, and making sure no pet goes without care.

During Covid, she even ran a soup kitchen from her home, serving thousands of meals when families were struggling.

Her friend Janine Roberts stepped in, organising a BackaBuddy fundraising campaign and helping her apply for a passport.

Another supporter, Trijntje de Jonge, arranged the visa. Within just a few months, the community had raised the money for Ingrid’s plane ticket. “I want to thank everyone who donated towards my ticket and visa,” Ms de Storie said. “Without you, I would never have been able to go.”

On Sunday, August 10, she boarded her first-ever international flight, a 13-hour journey to the UK. “When I used to see an aeroplane, I always told myself that one day I would be sitting in that plane going to meet my family,” she said.

Ms de Storie spent two weeks abroad, meeting her two brothers and three sisters, along with their children and grandchildren.

The family welcomed her with open arms, even hosting a barbecue so she could meet everyone together. For Ms de Storie, who had only known Vanessa before, it was an emotional moment. “It was my dream come true,” she said.

She admits that she was nervous about leaving her animals behind and worried about the community she serves every day, but the experience was unforgettable.

“I was so happy to finally see them, and they were happy to see me,” she said. “It felt like I belonged.”

Her story has touched many.

Over the years, she has been featured on kykNET’s Se Jou Sê and on Beautiful News, as well as in the Echo . Neighbours call her “Mother Teresa for the animals,” and her Facebook page 1 Kennel at a Time has drawn thousands of followers.

Now back in Ocean View, friends and neighbours greet her with smiles and “welcome back, Aunty Ingrid.” She has returned to grooming work in Kommetjie, as well as her daily animal rescue efforts, but she carries with her the joy of having fulfilled a lifelong wish.

“I always said I would find my family in the UK,” Ms de Storie said.

“Now that I have, I feel complete. It was the best gift I could have ever asked for.”