If you’ve been listening to the Family Twist podcast, you might know part of the story, but Corey and I really haven’t publicly discussed the day I met my biological father.
Corey and I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2017. Ancestry.com helped us find my biological family in August of 2017, so Corey and I quickly made plans to visit my New England relatives during October, just two months later. During those two months, Chris, my newly-found half-brother, and I had many good telephone conversations.
When we landed at Boston Logan, Chris, and his wife, Karen, were there with their three children, Mia, Shane, and Nolen. The kids were holding a sign that said, “Over here, Uncle Kendall. Welcome to New England!” That memory always brings happy tears to my eyes. I’ll never forget that moment.
That evening was great. We had dinner with the five of them, and then they drove us to the hotel they had arranged for us to stay in. I remember wanting to spend the night at their home that night, but, in retrospect, I think it totally made sense for them to give Corey and me a bit of privacy so that we could decompress after such an emotional day. Of course, it also makes sense that Karen and the kids didn’t know Corey and me very well yet. So I think I would have made similar arrangements if Corey and I had children involved. What if Corey and I had made bad impressions, etc.? LOL
The next morning, we all went to watch Mia play soccer. It was surreal for Chris to introduce Corey and me to friends of his with the statement, “This is my brother, Kendall, and his partner, Corey.” My father’s former wife, Anna, also came to the game. I was so excited to meet the mother of two of my half-siblings, Chris and Monica! (Corey and I have been able to spend time with Anna and her partner, John, since 2017. Anna is very good to Corey and me and makes us feel part of the family.)
The Day I Met My Biological Father
After the soccer game, Chris, Karen, the kids, Corey, and I went to Chris’ and Karen’s house. The plan was for us to meet four family members there: Monica; her son, Gage; my dad; and my dad’s brother, Uncle Shawn.
Monica and Gage arrived right before Dad and Uncle Shawn arrived. It was overwhelming–in a good way! It was bizarre to finally meet these family members. I know that, in the grand scheme of things, waiting two months to meet them shouldn’t seem long, but it was for me!
Corey and I immediately felt at ease around everyone and had a really good time that afternoon and evening. Dad and Uncle Shawn were charming, and it was great just getting to know them a bit. Of course, the striking resemblance between Uncle Shawn and me is something that many people have commented about when they see the photos Corey took that day.
We spent that night at Chris’ and Karen’s house. That worked really well because Chris and I stayed up late talking and looking at family photos. I also got a brief introduction into the very cool genealogical research Chris has done about our Clark family. It’s simply amazing, and he and I still bond over discussions where he fills me in on new details he has learned about us Clarks!
The next day, Chris, Shane, Monica, Gage, Corey, and I went to the Rock & Shock horror convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. We had a good time and met Kane Hodder who played Jason in the Friday the 13th movies (more times than any other actor). We told him that we had only recently found each other and that we physically met for the first time on the previous day. He was amazed by the story and has asked Corey about it when Corey has run into him at other conventions.
The next day was the final day of that trip, and we spent the day with Chris. He took us to a few cool places in and around Boston. Corey had never been to Boston before, and even though I had been, I had never been to the Cheers bar. So Chris indulged us and took us there. It was cool, and I have a great photo of Chris and me which Corey took of us inside Cheers.
Leaving Boston was incredibly difficult, but Corey and I knew that the adventures were just beginning. On the plane flying back to San Francisco, Corey looked over at me and said, “We have to move there.” I was overjoyed and shocked but knew he was right. I had missed 47 years of experiences with my biological family!
By mid-January in 2018, we moved to New England and have been there ever since!
