'I've got a dad!' Man finds father in North Texas after decades of searching
DALLAS - A 48-year-old man who has spent decades looking for his biological father finally met him on Thursday in North Texas.
Reggie Carrar, who lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and two daughters, flew into DFW Airport to meet Chris Dube for the first time.
The Backstory: Carrar has been searching for his dad since he was 10 years old.
His mom was 17 years old when she got pregnant and never told Dube that he was Carrar’s father.
"I was probably 17, 18. I was a rock and roll band guitar player. And, you know, those times were those times," Dube said.
Several months ago, Carrar decided to take a DNA test with Ancestry.com.
That’s how he discovered his 14-year-old niece, Riley, who had taken the same DNA test several years ago because she was curious about her own ancestry.
Carrar reached out to the girl’s mother, who turned out to be his half-sister.
"My mom, when she found it, she was really happy. She called me, ‘I have a new brother!’" Riley Dube said.
"There were a couple of times I almost stopped looking thinking this is not going to go anywhere. I’m glad I didn't stop," Carrar said.
What People Are Saying: Carrar and Dube said it is all still sinking in.
"I find myself sitting at home and look over at my wife and say, ‘I’ve got a dad!’ And she will look over and say, ‘You’ve got a dad!’" Carrar said. "It’s not easy only knowing half of yourself. And that’s all I’ve ever known. So, it feels good to know who I am now."
"At first, it was kind of shocking. But it’s awesome. It was exciting knowing I had somebody that's been looking for me that long," Dube said.
Carrar’s daughters connected with their new grandfather for the first time via FaceTime over the Thanksgiving holiday.
"First thing she said when she saw me was, ‘Hi, grandpa!’ And I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve got granddaughters,’" Dube said.
What’s Next: The jet engine specialist dad and the general contractor son now hope to make up for lost time.
"We both like fishing, music, still comparing notes on aches and pains," Dube joked. "He knew there was a fishing legend out there who had to be related to him."
The two can’t change the past but they can sure make memories together in the future.
Carrar is only in town for a few days this time around. But he is already planning a second trip so his daughters can meet their grandfather.