BOSTON (WHDH) - A Maine man got into the holiday spirit just in time to meet his biological father.
Smiling was Doug Henning’s favorite when he dressed up as Buddy from the movie “Elf” and sang to his dad at Logan Airport.
The 43-year-old said his story is similar to Buddy’s in that he grew up without knowing his father. His dad did not know about him either.
The two connected unexpectedly while on Ancestry.com this year.
“He was upset and happy and sad all at the same time because he never knew about me,” Henning said.
After spending months chatting over the phone and online, the father and son got tested for COVID-19 and moved forward with their sweet reunion.
He said he was delighted to learn that he has a lot in common with his dad.
“It’s really weird having the same mannerisms and different things and you wonder where you pick up things in life,” Henning said. “You don’t know and you see someone doing it.”
With this connection, Henning’s father has also become a grandfather for the first time — twice over.
“My takeaway from it all is that I’m just really excited and stoked because now I feel like I have the pieces to the puzzle that were missing,” Henning said.
The pair said they are excited to share some Christmas cheer for years to come.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)