Daughter Who Thought Mum’s Husband Was Her Dad Meets Biological Dad For The First Time In 34 Years

A daughter is set to spend her first Christmas with her real father after 34 years apart.

Claire Heard, 34, grew up in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, with her two sisters, Kelly, 31, and Faye, 28, believing another man was her father. It was only by chance at the age of 15 that she discovered the man she knew as dad was actually her step-father.

She explains: ‘I had a very happy childhood with her mother and father but my view of who I was and where I came from changed completely when I was 15. My sister found some paperwork in a cupboard by chance when she was tidying up. The documents showed that my name had been changed by deed poll when I was very little. We were mystified as to why that should have been the case. When my mum arrived home, I confronted her about it and she told me my dad was not who I thought he was.’

David Heard, who she knew as her father and had brought her up in a loving and caring home, was actually her stepdad and her two sisters were really her half sisters.

Her mother, Susan, explained how she had met Claire’s biological father, who called John Mundy, when she was 23 on a night out.

He was from London but he had moved to Norfolk where he had opened an American diner.

The couple had a relationship that resulted in Susan becoming pregnant with Claire but then they began to drift apart.

John’s father became unwell and so he moved back to London and after a few visits up to see his baby, he then lost contact with the family.

Susan then met David when Claire was two and they married and had their two other daughters. Susan decided not to tell Claire that David wasn’t her real father as she didn’t want her to feel different or unhappy.

On discovering the truth years later, Claire said she initially felt shocked and angry but then understood once her mother explained the situation and the decisions she had made.

She said: ‘I felt confused initially but just wanted to meet my dad and talk to him. I understood that both he and her mum had their reasons for the way things turned out so I really just wanted to meet him, talk to him and see if he wanted to get to know me.’

Claire constantly thought about her real father and tried to track him down but she didn’t know where to start. Years went by without any leads so she abandoned hope of ever finding him.

She started up her own hairdressing business and had two children of her own, Marley and Ava.

Then this summer, while watching ITV show Long Lost Families on TV, she was inspired to have another go at looking for John. She started searching online and discovered the website, FinderMonkey, a professional UK tracing agency who specialise in reunited long lost friends, family and beneficiaries.

She didn’t have much to go on other than her father’s name, date of birth and that he came from London. She gave all this information to FinderMonkey not really expecting to hear any more.

But after a week, she had a call from the company to say they had found him. He was living in Hertfordshire where he was married with grown up children.

Claire said: ‘I couldn’t believe it. I was quite nervous about calling him out of the blue but FinderMonkey was really helpful and supportive. They sent a letter on my behalf to him at his address in Hertfordshire. The letter arrived when my dad was on holiday in Egypt. His sister Tina, who was looking after the house for him while he was away, opened it. Tina called me and we chatted and she told me about the family. I found out I had half brothers and a half sister that I didn’t even know about. My dad called when he got back from holiday and we were on the phone for hours talking and catching up. I’ve been up to stay with him and his lovely wife and children for the weekend and we talk on the phone every other day. I’m so excited that for the first time ever I’m going to see him for Christmas this year. The best present I can imagine!’

She added she feels lucky that she has now two fathers in her life.

Source: MailOnline