“I Was Ready to Find a Grave,” Daughter Finds Long-Lost Father After 56 Years Apart

Adoption can raise complex and emotional issues surrounding identity and belonging, as was the case with Deanna Shrodes. For years, she searched for her biological father, driven by a strong desire to understand her past and find a sense of closure. Finally reconnecting with her father, Deanna’s story is a powerful example of the transformative journey that many adoptees embark on in their search for a sense of belonging.

She was determined to find her true roots.

Deanna’s journey to uncover her personal history was not just a mere search, but a relentless pursuit to find answers that would ultimately define her identity. The moment she found her biological mother, Sally King, was a bittersweet experience that was infused with both hope and anxiety as the fear of rejection loomed in her heart.

Indeed, at the beginning of Deanna’s search for her mom, Sally appeared distant and hesitant, casting a shadow of doubt over their potential reunion. Yet, Deanna’s unwavering determination and sheer willpower compelled her to take a leap of faith and show up unannounced at her mom’s doorstep.

Their reunion marked the beginning of a 20-year bond that endured until Sally’s passing. Despite their close relationship, her mother always remained reticent about Deanna’s father, withholding any information about his identity and hardly ever speaking of him. Thus, when Sally tragically passed away, Deanna was left with a gaping hole in her heart, as the identity of her father was buried with her mother.

At that point, Deanna believed that the opportunity to connect with her biological father had been lost forever. Nevertheless, she clung to a shred of hope by recalling a few details that her mother had shared: he was Greek and lived in Virginia. So, with her tenacity and the help of technology and community, she founded a Facebook group to share updates and registered on multiple DNA databases in her quest for answers.

A miraculous discovery

Deanna’s exhaustive decade-long search for her biological father left her feeling hopeless until she turned to her faith for guidance. It was then that she had a remarkable revelation that revitalized her with newfound hope and purpose. “I told my husband, I told my best friend Laura. I said, ‘Listen, guys, you might think I’m crazy, but I was in prayer. God spoke to me: Your father’s name is Gus.’”

Eventually, Deanna discovered a cousin match on one of the DNA registries and reached out to him. To her amazement, the cousin revealed that she was the daughter of his Uncle Gus, a 92-year-old retired ballroom dance instructor who had spent his whole life living in Richmond, Virginia.

Despite her initial fears of finding a grave, Deanna discovered that her biological father was alive and well. She called him the next day, and to her delight, he welcomed her with open arms. “I’m not alone in the world anymore,” Gus tearfully told her.

She also recalls him saying, “I woke up this morning, and I was alone. And now this afternoon, I have a daughter. I have a son-in-law. I have 3 grandchildren. I have great-grandchildren.”

After a lifetime of anticipation, father and daughter were finally reunited.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Deanna journeyed to the nursing home where her father, Gus, resided after he suffered a fall and was found lying on the floor. She reached Gus’s room and, in a moment that will forever be etched in their hearts, father and daughter embraced each other warmly for the very first time.

Gus’s desperate plea to his daughter, “Please don’t let me die in here,” tugged at Deanna’s heartstrings, even though they were practically strangers. Despite the odds, Deanna made a bold decision: she invited her father to come and live with her. Together, they journeyed from Virginia to Florida, where Deanna transformed her family’s guest room into her father’s new bedroom.

Though they had a complicated past, their shared love and forgiveness became the foundation for their new life together. “I prepared myself to find a grave, and I now found a person, and it was just absolutely mind-blowing,” the woman said. “Couldn’t believe that I had found a person.”

Deanna finally got to know the father she had only met 56 years after her birth. She devoted herself to his care and comfort until his passing in December 2022, cherishing every moment they had together. In the wake of his passing, she took to Facebook to share a touching message about her father, saying, “He will always be the greatest miracle.”