An unusual and heartwarming story

[shadow 18,483]

 

The week was an unusual one for me. The first part of the week was a normal one. When I opened Facebook on Thursday morning, there was a friend request from someone I didn’t know, the name completely unfamiliar, Retha. When I went to her profile, it showed three blonde girls of various ages. I was about to reject the friend request when I noticed she was from Mapleton, Oregon, a small town between Eugene and the coast. Childhood memories reminded me of a family reunion in Mapleton in the late 60s or early 70s, so I hesitated. I decided what the hell, and approved her friend request. Within minutes, she sent me a message stating she was a cousin that I never knew existed. The other two girls are her daughters, and she is not a girl at all but a good looking woman in her mid 40s. She had been doing genealogical research and DNA testing, and had wound up with my sister’s name, who lived in Seattle for 40 years and is deceased.  Somehow she managed to trace it to me, how she did this is a mystery, I was not a friend on my sisters FB, and we have always had different last names. So we chatted for 2-3 hours or so, and I convinced her that I really did not know much of anything about my extended family. She, likewise, knew very little about my immediate family, which has been very dysfunctional forever. She also stated she had found a woman who was a very close DNA match to her, that had been adopted and did not know who her birth family was. Another memory flashed through my mind, that of a drug and alcohol induced teenager who fathered a female child at the age of 16, the Mother being 14.  Us both being very unfit to raise a child, that child had been adopted out at a very early age.

So I told Retha that I would write out for her about my immediate family, I am the youngest of 8, my siblings all being half brother/sisters of a mixed family and much older than I. So I spent several hours Thursday afternoon writing about my family, and early life, which was mess. I included in the mention of this child I had fathered as a messed up teen. Although I have looked for her over the years, I have never been able to find this girl. I didn’t have much to go on, other than her first and middle names, Andrea May, I did not have her new last name. I wrote this all out and sent it to Retha on Thursday evening.

 

Friday morning I am greeted by a message from Retha, that this is indeed my long lost Andrea, and she wants very much to meet me. Before I even get my first cup of coffee, I am chatting with Andrea. Within hours, I am chatting with my granddaughters. Seems that in addition to many cousins I thought were probably out there, I now have my beautiful 40+ year old daughter and three very beautiful granddaughters, age 16, 13, and 18 months. I’ve been in kind of a daze….

 

[DeedleNuts 3,179]

Hello, fellow Oregonian (sorta)

I'm about 60 minutes south of Eugene

[Ozepete 9,586]

An amazing story, what a find. Congratulations Granddad.    

[raytech 177]

Are there any plans for all of you meeting up ? That is the best thing i have heard about in a very long time. Hope this new chapter in your life turns out well.

[shadow 18,483]

25 minutes ago, raytech said:

Are there any plans for all of you meeting up ? That is the best thing i have heard about in a very long time. Hope this new chapter in your life turns out well.

Up to now, I've been here 16+ years with no plans or desires to ever touch US soil again. I may have to re-think that, but it's not an option right now as this year has been a financial disaster for us. Hopefully next year we can pull a rabbit out of the hat. I would be there tomorrow if it was possible. 

[cookie47 2,029]

Nice story, good luck.. I had to read it a few times to get my head around all the twists and turns,,, and surprises haha.... Hope you can get there.. 

[Ozepete 9,586]

1 hour ago, shadow said:

Up to now, I've been here 16+ years with no plans or desires to ever touch US soil again. I may have to re-think that, but it's not an option right now as this year has been a financial disaster for us. Hopefully next year we can pull a rabbit out of the hat. I would be there tomorrow if it was possible. 

This year might be a financial disaster but with this news you are so much the richer.  Money can't buy this, best thread on LinC! 

Hope you can get to meet up with them soon. 

[Chris24 1,051]

Wow, that's life-changing.  Technology, (both social media and genetic mapping) are making so much possible. What a tremendous opportunity to connect with family that you didn't know you had.  I hope that when you do you find common ground  on which to kindle ongoing relationships that time and circumstances have denied you thus far. 

[shadow 18,483]

2 minutes ago, Chris24 said:

Wow, that's life-changing.  Technology, (both social media and genetic mapping) are making so much possible. What a tremendous opportunity to connect with family that you didn't know you had.  I hope that when you do you find common ground  on which to kindle ongoing relationships that time and circumstances have denied you thus far. 

We have found a lot of coincidences, where we almost met years ago, or were in the same area. She now lives in Montana, in a very small town where I spent several months fishing at the time she moved there. She lives within 100 miles of my sister in Billings. In my 20s, I partied with friends at her adopted parent's next door neighbor's house. The coincidences go on and on, we find more every time we chat.