Father, Daughter Reunited after 23 years

Published: May 24, 2007 | 6275th good news item since 2003

James Howard from New Berlin met his biological daughter, Patti Taylor, for the first time in almost 23 years Tuesday at Mitchell International Airport.

They reconnected over the Internet. Patti tracked her biological father down just before Easter.

Howard, 46, is thrilled they were finally able to meet. “Your life aint that important to turn your back on your child. I know. I’ve been there, and for 23 years the guilt I carried around was a lot and I don’t want that guilt. I don’t want another parent to go through the same thing that I went through.”

Howard saw Patti for the first time at the hospital in Virginia where she was born. He says he was 22 at the time and had already broken off his six-month relationship with Patti’s mother.

Howard says both the mother and her family wanted nothing to do with him.

Howard moved to Wisconsin in 1994, got married and now has three children with his wife, Rebecca.

Patti attends college in Virginia. She’s tried off and on for years to locate her father but ran into mostly dead ends. She knew her father’s name and knew where he went to school. Then this spring she logged onto the school reunion Web site – Classmates.com – and quickly found her biological father.

Patti’s looking forward to spending time with her two new half brothers and a half sister.

Published in Reunited
See also: www.todaystmj4.com