At 17, my mom had me and gave me up. When I found her at 20, she told me to forget her, fearing her powerful husband would leave her if he knew about me. A year later, her husband showed up at my door, revealing everything she told me was a lie. He overheard her confessing to her mother about me, and despite her refusal to reconnect, he hired an investigator and found me.
He gave me photos of my half-sisters and money to help, telling me I was welcome to meet them, even though my mother still refused to see me. His kindness made me feel what it means to have a father, even though I never knew my own.
