Dad Meets 40-Year-Old Daughter for the First Time — He Didn't Even Know She Existed

A 59-year-old man, John Gonsalves, received a terrific surprise after his quest for knowledge about his European ancestors led to the discovery of a 40-year-old daughter he never knew existed, who lived a few miles away.

The shock came after Gonsalves's daughter, Robin, gifted her father an AncestryDNA kit for his birthday. While the man had his mind fixed on knowing more about his heritage, the resurfacing of a long-lost daughter left him in awe. Gonsalves, of New Jersey, revealed to CBS News:

"It's just as exciting to me to have a daughter who's 40 years old as one that's only one month old."

Before Gonsalves received the news, his newly-found daughter, Jeanie Siciliano, who was adopted early, also completed a DNA test with the AncestryDNA kit.

When her results returned, the woman learned that Gonsalves was her dad. In 1977, the man was involved in a romantic relationship and had fathered a child without knowing.

Two months after the child was born, she was adopted. Nineteen years later, Siciliano searched for her biological parents but only found her mother. During the CBS News interview, Siciliano said:

"I did some searching, but I didn't come up with any solid information. So, I kind of put that all to the side."

She also added: "When I first opened my AncestryDNA.com results, and John's name came up, and underneath it, it said "father," and I was like, "Holy cannoli, this guy is my biological father. Oh my gosh.'"

At that point, Siciliano decided to write her birth father a letter. Gonsalves explained that when he received the note, he felt the world stop. Although the man had second thoughts about the letter, he was eventually moved to tears, feeling extremely happy.

She said she did not have many women figures in her life, and when she lost her mother, it was a huge concern.

Two months after they contacted each other, Gonsalves and Robin met Siciliano for the first time in 2018. The father was

to chat with not one daughter but two.

To make matters even more unbelievable, the father learned that he had lived only three miles away from Siciliano for 11 years. So, although they might have crossed paths in the past without knowing, fate finally brought the pair together.

Robin mentioned that having someone like Siciliano to look up to felt like a blessing, as her mom had passed away a few years earlier.

She said she did not have many women figures in her life, and when she lost her mother, it was a huge concern. But with the presence of Siciliano, Robin did not have to bother too much about navigating her life.

The family of three will continue to spend more time together and create new long-lasting memories.