GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Jan. 20, 2015) – Tony Trapani never knew he had a son.
The 81-year-old Grand Rapids man had tried having children all his life, but it was something that never happened.
At least, that’s what he thought.
After his wife passed away, he was cleaning out a filing cabinet when he came across a letter with a postage date of 1959, reports WXMI.
“I have a little boy,” it reads. “He is five years old now. What I’m trying to say Tony is he is your son. He was born November 14th, 1953.”
The child referenced in in the letter is now 61 years old. His name is Samuel Childress.
Trapani believes his wife intercepted the letter from Childress’ mother and hid it away all those years ago.
Childress said his mother told him she’d sent a letter to his father but figured it was being ignored.
“Just to know him now is so important to me. It’s going to fill that void,” Childress said.
Trapani feels like a new dad, but he struggles to understand why his wife kept it from him.
“He’s my full son that I’ve had my whole life, but why my wife hid that letter is beyond me.”
The pair is awaiting results of blood tests to confirm their relation.
