If you’d witnessed the meeting Wednesday, you’d agree that what happened three years ago was just a beautiful mistake.

A period was inadvertently left out of an e-mail address. That set in motion a series of events spanning one ocean, two countries and 8,000 miles.

And if that’s not enough, a grieving heart was healed, a family redefined and -- in a crowded Portland airport terminal -- the meaning of Thanksgiving was revealed.

***

Call it a fluke or fate, but there’s no question that something magical took place on in Northeast Portland on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010.

That’s when Rochelle Stilwell sat down in her home to write an email to finalize plans for the Thanksgiving Day dinner she and her husband always hosted. Words didn’t come easily because she was mourning the unexpected death weeks earlier of her younger sister.

Although Stella Menashe was 56, she had the mental capacity of a first-grader and spent much of her life in a group home. She joined her family on holidays and her favorite was Thanksgiving, always held at the Stilwell home.

“My sister was so challenged,” said Stilwell, two years older. “Structure allowed her to function. At Thanksgiving we ate at the same time, had the same menu and people sat in the same seats.”

Year after year, for decades, nothing changed.

And then, suddenly, it did.

***

Replies started coming back within days: Great. Should I bring anything? So glad you are hosting this year. Thank you. Stella would love this.

Two weeks later, Stilwell opened her email and found Hadfield’s response.

Whilst this really does sound lovely, I am afraid that I am going to have to decline this very thoughtful invitation at this time.

“My husband was in the room when I read that first line,” Stilwell said. “I turned to Joe and said it was unbelievable. The first year we invite him and he turns us down?”

She continued reading the email.

"For you see, as lovely as I am sure the roaring fire will be, I am currently sitting in the Australian sun soaking up the rays in a balmy 30 degrees, (or 86 Degrees F … )"

She saw that Hadfield had sent a copy of his reply to everyone on the guest list.

Now they’d see that he was a jerk for going on vacation at a time the family needed to gather to support each other. He’d discover that this group didn’t blow off family functions, especially Thanksgiving dinner.

Sadly at this time it just won't be possible to make the 15,000 mile round trip, not even to try the highly regarded Jenelle-i-o which is a great shame as it really does sound delightful and has my taste buds tingling with anticipation.

What?

Hadfield wasn’t visiting Australia. He lived there. Somehow Stilwell’s invitation had ended up with the wrong person. Hadfield said he wished he could “sample a good old-fashioned United States Thanksgiving, which isn’t popular down under.”

Take care,

Matthew Hadfield, (The one from Aus, with no connections to anyone in the US:))

Amused, Stilwell had to reply, and she sent her copy to everyone coming to the Thanksgiving dinner.

Dear Matthew Hadfield (the one from Aus), How pleased we were that you responded in such a cordial, humorous way! All of us enjoyed your email and DO really wish you would join us. You sound like a lot of fun and I know we would enjoy your company!

She ended the email with her own attempt at humor:

"G'day Mate (Did I do that properly?)

When the Portland-based Matt Hadfield came home from work, his wife asked him if he’d been receiving a series of strange emails regarding Thanksgiving dinner. When he said he didn’t know what she was talking about, she showed him the exchanges with her aunt and the man with the same name. Hadfield studied the two email addresses.

“I have a period between my first and last name on my email address,” he said. “This other guy didn’t, so the mail that was supposed to go to me ended up with him.”

Everyone in Portland had a good laugh, something to talk about over Thanksgiving dinner.

That should have been the end of the matter.

But it wasn’t.

***

The following year, when it came time for the 2011 dinner, Stilwell decided to extend – as a joke – an invitation to the Australian Hadfield. His reply, sent to the entire group, arrived on Thanksgiving Day.

"Wishing the Stillwell family a happy thanksgiving.

Cheers,

Matt (the upside down one)

During the year, Stilwell exchanged mails with Hadfield and learned more about him. She was stunned to realize how similar he was to his Portland counterpart.

Both men were the same age, now 32, and had dogs as pets. Neither had children, and their wives had November birthdays. Both had engineering degrees, the Australian in computers, the Portlander in construction. Neither man knew anyone in the other country, nor had either traveled to the other country.

“He’s a tall skinny guy, like me,” the Portland Hadfield said. “The only difference between us is that I’m not as funny on email as he is.”

If he’d been the one who received the errant email, Hadfield said he probably would have just deleted it or written back and said – wrong guy.

“But he took the time to respond in such a hilarious way,” he said. “He couldn’t have written back to a better group.”

When the 2012 Thanksgiving rolled around, tradition now dictated that the Australian Hadfield again be included in the group email. And, of course, he declined. But this past September, Stilwell couldn’t believe what she was reading.

The name tags will help Matt and Bec Hadfield of Australia keep family members straight when they join a Portland Thanksgiving celebration.

The Hadfields were coming.

“I’ve had friends tell me,” he wrote, “that it’s the best reason for an international trip that they’ve ever heard.”

Stilwell dashed off a quick email to the extended Thanksgiving group.

Days later she wrote Hadfield:

Matthew

You cannot imagine the absolute joy that ran through the family at your announcement of you and Bec attending our Thanksgiving family celebration in 2013. We are thrilled!

So happy, I made an email mistake. What a blessing,

Love,

Ro

***

The Portland Hadfield didn’t believe it would really happen. He told his wife it was not only a leap of faith, but the logistics of pulling it off and the expense would make it impossible. Then word came that the tickets had been purchased.

Hadfield figured it only made sense that he and his wife host the dinner. But they’d never had a formal event in their home. Stillwell called a meeting of the extended family in October to survey the Hadfield house.

They had to fit 31 guests – ranging from 8 months old to 65 – in one room. That meant furniture would have to be moved, and six 6-foot-long tables had to be hauled in and set up Thanksgiving week. Everyone was assigned something to bring -- cups, plates, glasses and silverware.

“It’s amazing,” Stilwell said. “They are traveling to a place where they have never been, to meet a family they don’t know to celebrate a holiday that’s not theirs.”

She said all guests would be wearing nametags.

Stilwell’s husband will do all the cooking, including a 35-pound turkey and an 8-pound breast, at the Stilwell home and then drive it to the Hadfield home in Southwest Portland.

Hadfield said he’s issued one warning – “No one leaves until everything is cleaned up.”

The Australian Hadfields will spend Wednesday night at the Stilwells and then three days with the Hadfields before flying home Sunday.

“This is the spirit of Thanksgiving,” Stilwell said. “It’s about reaching out, coming together at the table to share.”

***

About 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Stilwell and 11 other family members gathered at the south end of the terminal to wait for their visitors. Stilwell handed out home-made signs to welcome the Hadfields to Portland.

"I'm kind of nervous," she admitted. "It's been three years. What if they don't like us? What if we don't like them?"

The plane had landed and Stilwell kept holding up the sign as the passengers filed out and into the terminal.

Finally, there were no more people.

And then they appeared.

"Hello, Ro," the Australian Hadfield said as he gave Stilwell a big hug. "I am so happy to see you."

She led a round of introductions.

"You and I are the only ones who don't need name tags," the Portland Matt Hadfield told his counterpart.

Stilwell gave Hadfield a hug again.

"Did you wonder what you were getting into?" she asked the man from Australia. "Were you nervous?"

Hadfield said his wife was, especially when the plane finally landed.

"Can you see we are pretty normal?" Stilwell asked.

Hadfield stepped back and looked at her.

"Normal?" he said, drawing out the word with a dramatic pause.

"We'll find out," he said.

He smiled.

--Tom Hallman Jr.