A man from North Carolina who spent his entire life believing he was an only child will be celebrating Christmas with his huge family, including a half-sister and five half-brothers that he’d never met.
Dixon Handshaw was adopted as an infant in Buffalo, New York, and raised in Elmira.
He grew up without the connection of any siblings, but always wondered what it might be like to have a family to call his own.
At the age of 75, a simple decision unravelled a truth that had eluded him for decades and transformed his life just in time for the holidays.
‘All my life, I dreamed about having siblings somewhere,’ Handshaw admitted to 13WHAM. ‘This is my Christmas miracle. That’s what I call it.’
It all began in mid-August when Handshaw decided to obtain his pre-adoption birth certificate which shows the details of an adopted person’s birth, including their name, date of birth, the city or county of birth as well as the adoptive parents’ names.
He expected to uncover fragments of his past, perhaps a name or a date, but instead, discovered an entire family waiting for him – including biological siblings who had no idea he existed but who were ready to embrace him with open arms.
The moment of a lifetime came as Handshaw stepped off the plane at Rochester airport to meet his unknown family for the very first time.
Dixon Handshaw, 75, center, got to meet his two of his five half-brothers, Jeff Romig, left, and Gary Romig, right – together with half-sister Wendy Gell, for the very first time in his life
Dixon will be meeting 52 of his new found relatives over the Christmas period. Pictured, the Romig family photo from decades gone by
It was an emotional meeting as Dixon, centered, embraced his three of his five half-siblings for the first time
Waiting for him were two of his biological half-brothers, Gary and Jeff Romig, and his half-sister, Wendy Gell.
The first meeting in the baggage claim at Rochester airport on Thursday was nothing short of extraordinary. ‘It felt like Christmas morning,’ Gell said.
‘It’s so special because he’s very emotional and excited and can’t believe that we are opening our arms to him and welcoming him to the family.’
Handshaw had been apprehensive at first, fearing rejection or simply awkwardness.
‘My biggest hesitancy was I didn’t want to intrude on people,’ he confessed. ‘I didn’t know whether they would be happy that I was around or not.’
But such fears proved unfounded in a phone call that changed his life in an instant.
Romig recalls the moment vividly. ‘I was eating lunch on the job when my phone rang. It was a number I didn’t recognize, and usually, I wouldn’t answer. But for some reason, I picked up,’ he said.
‘He says, “Hi, my name’s Dixon. Are you Gary Romig?” I said, “I am.” Then he goes, “I’m your brother.” And I’m like, “What?”‘
Dixon ran to embrace his sister, Wendy Gell, left, in the baggage claim of Rochester Airport
Dixon embraced his new found sister, Wendy Gell, for the very first time on Thursday
For the last 75 years, Dixon Handshaw thought he was an only child. This Christmas he discovered his half-sister and five half-brothers
Stunned, the two men talked for hours with Handshaw sending Romig a picture of himself.
When Romig shared it with the family including his own five siblings, the resemblance was uncanny.
‘We all saw it,’ Romig said. ‘He has our father’s features. There was no mistaking it.’
By Christmas, Handshaw wasn’t just meeting a few siblings – he was stepping into a new world.
This weekend Dixon met 52 members of his family in what he has described as his ‘Christmas miracle’
A special celebration was held as family members welcomed him to the rest of the family
Handshaw, left, sent a picture of himself to his brother. The family agreed it looked just like their father, right
‘I’m not gonna waste any time having this new family. I couldn’t be happier,’ Handshaw said, his eyes welling up. ‘After all these years of wondering, I finally feel complete.’
Plenty of tears were shed as the three siblings met their long lost brother for the very first time
Dixon said he had ‘never felt such an outpouring of unconditional love’ in his whole life
This past weekend, he met an incredible 52 new relatives, each one eager to connect with the man who had been missing from their lives without either of them realizing.
‘I’m not gonna waste any time having this new family. I couldn’t be happier,’ Handshaw said, his eyes welling up.
‘After all these years of wondering, I finally feel complete.’
