‘You’re Definitely My Daughter’: How I Found My Birth Father After 25 Years of Searching
My name is Deana Blair, and for as long as I can remember, family has been my anchor. Born and raised in California, I grew up believing the man I called Dad was my biological father. He was kind, close to me, and a profoundly good influence in my life. Tragically, when I was just 16, he died by suicide, leaving an enormous void. While grieving his loss, I discovered something that shook my foundation: he was not my biological father.
Deana Blair
The truth emerged when I stumbled upon my birth certificate. It named a man I’d never heard of, Sidney Sims, as my biological father. My mother admitted she’d dated Sidney briefly while living in Texas, but she hadn’t told him about her pregnancy. I was born after she returned to California. That discovery left me with an unrelenting desire to find Sidney Sims and learn more about the man who had given me half of my DNA.
The search begins
Armed with only a name and the knowledge that Sidney had probably lived in Texas, I began my search. It was 1995, and my primary tool was pen and paper. I sent countless letters to people with the last name Sims in Texas. Year after year, my letters turned up empty. Then came the internet and social media, which opened new avenues. I sent messages to Sidney Sims profiles on platforms like Facebook, but again, nothing substantial materialized.
Turning to DNA
By 2020, I had spent 25 years searching for Sidney without success. I was losing hope but still determined. That’s when I read about MyHeritage DNA and the life-changing reunions others had experienced through the platform. I decided to give it a try.
When my results arrived, I combed through them carefully. The name “Sims” didn’t appear in my matches, but one match stood out: a third cousin named Chavis Williams. Intrigued, I messaged Chavis, whose account was managed by a man named Carnell Smith. Carnell’s family tree included the Sims surname.
Deana’s DNA match with Chavis Williams
When I explained my search, Carnell was incredibly generous. He took it upon himself to investigate, reaching out to his relatives. Soon, Carnell confirmed a connection to Sidney Sims. Carnell contacted my aunt, who is my dad’s sister, and sent her a picture of me, in order to forward it to my dad. As soon as he saw my photo he knew I was his daughter. He never knew I existed.
The moment of truth
On December 20, 2020, I received the message I had waited 25 years to see. Sidney wrote:
“You’re very persistent to have searched for me for 25 years. I never knew you existed, but you look just like my other children. You’re definitely my daughter.”
Deana’s biological father, Sidney
I was overwhelmed with emotion and couldn’t call him right away. When I finally gathered my courage the next day, our first phone call lasted three hours. It was like a missing puzzle piece sliding perfectly into place. From that day forward, Sidney and I became inseparable.
If not for the DNA test, I probably never would have found him. I was searching in Texas, but he had moved to Florida.
A father’s day to remember
In June 2021, I traveled to Florida to meet Sidney for the first time. It was Father’s Day, and I wanted to surprise him. With help from my half-sister Nikky, I planned a moment Sidney would never forget.
When he saw me in person, he was overcome with emotion, and we embraced like no time had passed at all. Nikky captured the beautiful moment on video, which I later shared on TikTok. The reunion went viral, and thousands of people viewed the emotional footage. Here are the videos I shared:
@thecaliking77For everyone who still have hope 💪🏾🙏🏾❤️🥰♬ original sound – Love Artésia 🫶🏽
@thecaliking77 Meeting Dad after 23 years of searching. #myheritage #myheritagedna #dad #love #family #travel #blessed #bestfriend #loved #happy #LaurelRoad4Nurses #ShowYourJOWO #fypシ #fyp #foryoupage #arizona #florida ♬ original sound – Dr. Quandra Banks
Sidney is now retired, having worked as a phone technician for many years. Married to his wife, Olivia (affectionately called “Mrs. Cookie”), for 38 years, Sidney has a full house of children: 3 from previous marriages, one with Olivia, and a stepson he regards as his own. I now have 4 new siblings: Seannette, Kaisha, Sidney Jr., and Nikky.
Left to right: Olivia, Nikky, Deana, and Sidney
Our first-ever Thanksgiving together
This past Thanksgiving, Sidney and I reunited again in Florida—our first Thanksgiving together. MyHeritage generously covered my travel expenses to ensure I could celebrate the holiday with my family. Sidney expressed his amazement, saying, “I went from shock to being surprised and relieved. I was shocked when I found out that somebody was looking for me that’s 43 years old and saying she was my daughter.”
Sidney cooking a traditional Thanksgiving meal with Deana
We spent the holiday surrounded by my siblings, and I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. I have more family than I could ever dream of, and this has been a really good experience for me. I’m super excited.
Shared traits, shared joy
Sidney and I have noticed so many similarities between us. “Her eyes, her cheekbones… She loves music. She loves photography,” he remarked. Seeing those connections has deepened our bond and underscored how much we share, even after all these years apart.
Sidney and Deana
My father and I are closer than I ever imagined we could be. We speak every day, and he has truly become my best friend. I’ve also grown close to his children, weaving myself into the fabric of a family I spent so many years yearning for.
Full circle
Reflecting on my journey, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for MyHeritage and the serendipity that brought my father and me together. Finding Sidney healed a part of me that I thought would remain incomplete forever.
Many thanks to Deana Blair for sharing her incredible story with us. If you have also made an incredible discovery with MyHeritage, we’d love to hear about it! Please send it to us via this form or email it to us at stories@myheritage.com.
