Title: Man Believed He Was an Only Child for Decades, Then Made a Surprising Discovery Just in Time for Christmas
For Dixon Handshaw, 75, the revelation that he had several siblings was just as astonishing as finding out that Santa Claus isn’t real. Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1949, Handshaw was adopted at just three months old, growing up believing he was an only child. It wasn’t until last year that he discovered he had a large family waiting for him, a discovery that couldn’t have come at a better time – just before Christmas.
The public release of original birth certificates for adopted New Yorkers in 2020, following the approval of a 2019 law, led Handshaw down a path of self-discovery. After finding his birthfather’s obituary online, he realized that he wasn’t the only child of his biological parents. "I saw his obituary and knew instantly that I had brothers and a sister," Handshaw recalled.
Handshaw’s birthfather was a graduate student in the physics department at Cornell University, where his mother worked as a secretary. Despite his newfound siblings, Handshaw has no plans to search for his birthmother, as she never had any more children. He suspects his birthfather may have had other children as well.
Being adopted, Handshaw had always known he was different from his adoptive siblings. When he discovered he had siblings, he turned to one of them for an initial connection. He chose Gary Romig, one of his half-brothers, because they shared similar experiences as adopted children.
Handshaw made the call to Romig, who initially thought it was a prank. "He said, ‘Who is this? What are you talking about?’," Handshaw recalled, laughing. "I told him, ‘I’m your brother’, and he said, ‘Oh my God, I have a brother!’" The two have since fostered a close relationship, as have Handshaw and his other siblings.
Handshaw traveled to Rochester, New York, to meet some of his half-siblings just in time for their family’s annual Christmas celebration. Despite never having met anyone who shared his DNA before, Handshaw found an instant connection with his newfound family. "It was absolutely wonderful," he said. "I’ve never felt such an immediate surge of love and acceptance."
Although Handshaw won’t be spending Christmas with his new family this year, he plans to make up for lost time in the new year. "We’re all going camping together this summer," he said, adding that they already have a group chat where they message each other every day.
For now, Handshaw and his siblings are focused on rebuilding their lost time, but they agree that it’s better late than never. As the holiday season approaches, Handshaw is grateful for the gift of family, a gift he never knew he had until now.