For Kathy, the identity of her biological father was a big family secret. While growing up with her mother, two sisters, and one brother, she always wondered about his identity but was never told who he was.
In 2011, at age 63, she discovered on her birth certificate the name of her father: Clifford Hawkins. There were only three men named Clifford Hawkins in Australia, and one lived in her home town of Perth. She penned a letter to each one, included her contact information, and waited.
Her father received the letter, but left it on his desk, unsure of what to do with it. A few months later, Clifford Hawkins was diagnosed with leukemia. His daughter, Carrol, discovered the letter.
“I said to my dad ‘The letter you’ve got in the drawer there, the girl that sent the letter, is that your daughter?'” Carrol remembers asking him.
Clifford said that because the name of her mother was not mentioned, he did not know if she was his daughter. Carrol decided to investigate, knowing she was working against the clock. “If this is his daughter, you know, we have to do something about it,” Carrol said.
She called up the number, and Kathy answered. During the conversation that followed, Kathy realized she knew exactly who was on the other end: Kathy and Carrol had been friends while growing up.
Carrol, the older sister to seven brothers, grew up around the corner from Kathy. They were schoolmates, and Kathy would come over and play at the Hawkins home from time to time. She even interacted with her biological father with out anyone realizing the connection between them.
After the discovery, Kathy reached out to Clifford, and was able to meet him and spend some time with him before he died. While she lost her father not long after finding him, she gained another family, including Carrol, who is thrilled to finally have a sister.
