The young man is now helping his 67-year-old father get back on his feet and even got him a Christmas present.
Not all sons and fathers have a great relationship. Some look up to their fathers while some have a strained relationship. Some barely know their parent even if they are present in their life. However, there are some kids who make sure to develop a relationship with their father even when the patriarch is not present.
One son, who hadn't seen his father in more than a decade, decided that enough is enough. He went searching for his father and didn't give up until the man was found. 23-year-old Jason Kelly, whose dad left their home in the 1990s and was last seen/heard sleeping on the streets, used some investigative skills to locate his father, and got his Christmas miracle, as per LiverpoolEcho.
The last time Jason met his dad, David, since he left home was when he was 12 years old and his parents' marriage was breaking down. In December 2020, the 23-year-old found his long lost father in Liverpool, where he used to sleep in parks and graveyards. David also slept in the streets for many years after leaving his family home in Tuebrook.
Right before Christmas, one newspaper wrote about Jason's search for his father and published the story. They had featured the only photo of David which Jason had. The photo was taken in the late 1990s. Even though it seemed unlikely, somebody recognized David and gave Jason his father's last known address.
Jason visited the home on Christmas Eve and a woman in her 70s answered the door. She confirmed that David lived there. He wanted to leave his number there. Instead, something better happened. He saw his dad returning from his morning run and tried to speak to him. Unfortunately, his dad was so shocked he started running away but Jason was able to stop him.
"I was shouting dad it's me, Jason. Eventually, it started to sink in and I caught up to walk beside him. When he recognized me, he started asking after the family and he was trying to remember my birth date. At that point, he didn't want to look at me as his eyes were welling up with tears. I'm exactly the same when it comes to things like that..." said Jason.
David couldn't have imagined getting a Christmas gift so profound. He now has a chance to develop a fresh bond with his son, who has been very supportive. Jason has been taking it slowly not wanting to overwhelm his father. Like a devoted son, he spent Christmas with his mother, brother, and his sister, and then took some Christmas dinner to his father. He also gifted his dad a cellphone as a present so they could keep in touch.
David has lived with his friend and housemate in Wavertree for the past five years and now his son wants to help him. As he is 67, he is eligible for pension in the UK but hasn't claimed any of it. So, Jason intends to help him get that, and get back on his feet.
"I'm trying to see if I can get his birth certificate. He can't access a bank account as he needs proof of person and he doesn't' have anything. On the photograph, the reason his hands are up by his eyes is he's holding his glasses together as he's had them about ten years!" said Jason.
As his dad stayed away for more than 10 years, Jason was worried that he won't want to meet him after all this time. "It's a miracle really. When he was running off I thought 'oh God.' It was the outcome I was fearing the most but to find him before Christmas was absolutely amazing. I had that in mind and it's a miracle that it happened," said Jason.
References:
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/miracle-son-finds-long-lost-19526204
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/sons-desperate-search-find-dad-19474152
