Military veterans Joe Sills and Angie Walker served decades apart but became unlikely pen pals through their service in a twist of fate.

Walker was 26 years old and serving as a naval officer in the Arabian Gulf in 1996 when she got an unexpected "thank you" letter from Sills – a man she never met.

“I realized that some of the troops felt lonesome because they were so far away from family” says Sills, who's now 92 years old. “My sister wrote to me every day when I was overseas.”

Sills was 64 years old at the time. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War and wrote his letter, not knowing who it would reach, from the American Legion Post 150 in Kingston, where he still serves as a member.

News 12 was shown one letter Walker wrote to Sills dated Oct. 31, 1997 that reads in part:

Nearly three decades and hundreds of letters later, the two are still pen pals to this day.

“He kept writing me, so I’d write back. We would tell each other a little bit about ourselves, what we’re doing, and I was moving every couple of years,” says Walker, who's now 54 years old.

Much has changed over the years. Walker retired in 2018 and Sills lost his wife of 68 years in January, but their special friendship became a constant.

On Wednesday, the two met for the first time at Sills’ home in Ulster County.

“It was like a miracle come true,” says Sills.

The pair are going on a Hudson Valley Honor Flight with other veterans to Washington D.C. on Saturday while Walker is in New York from the state of Florida.

A representative for the Honor Flight says they’re honored to be part of Angie and Joe’s story and look forward to honoring them both during their 34th flight.

When asked what’s next for the pair, Sills says, “We are probably going to keep writing about our experience and meeting and enjoying going on that flight!”

Sills says he doesn't have a cellphone but occasionally calls Walker from his home phone, in addition to writing letters from his kitchen.