N.Y. woman learns favorite teacher was biological sister

SPENCERPORT, N.Y., March 4 (UPI) -- A New York woman learned that her favorite college professor was actually her biological older sister after both women looked into their adoption history.

Diane DiProspero Cook and Karen Cometa-Zempel first met at at Bryant and Stratton College in 1985, before learning that they were long-lost sisters 31 years later.

The women became aware of each other after contacting their adoption agencies seeking information about their medical histories.

"I couldn't believe it. I immediately knew who she was," said DiProspero Cook, who remembered Cometa-Zempel from her time at Bryant and Stratton. "My heart skipped a beat, and I was excited because I would tell by her voice and her bubbly personality we would hit it off!"

DiProspero Cook also told ABC News that the two lived "parallel lives" and shared many of the same mannerisms.

"The more we talk, the more we find we have in common," said Cometa-Zempel.

Both women were placed up for adoption by the same mother and were raised by Italian American families 20 miles away from each other in upstate New York. They both also attended Roman Catholic schools in their youth.

Aside from their similar upbringing, both women are left handed and share the same bubbly personality.

Their similarities are so extreme that DiProspero Cook said they ran into each other at an outlet mall in Niagara Falls after postponing plans to meet formally following Valentine's Day weekend.

The sisters have been attempting to reconnect and spend more time together and hope their story encourages other adoptees to seek their family members.