Dad begs his daughter to change her mind
Lauren Crooks An expat dad who launched a hunt for the daughter he didn’t know existed for 28 years has told of his grief after she asked not to be contacted.
Derek McLean, 45, was stunned when wife Sharron – whom he’s been with since they were children living in Falkirk – revealed she had concealed a pregnancy when she was 16 and had their daughter adopted.
Derek, who lives in Adelaide, Australia, made a desperate bid to find the girl he knew only as Danielle.
But yes terday, in an emotional onl ine post, he told of his devastation on finding out she didn’t want to be contacted by him.
Writing on a Facebook page aimed at helping to reunite families, he penned a note to his daughter, saying: “No contact = Rejection is an understatement. I have never felt so low in my life.
“I won’t ever be your dad but even a conversation would have been nice, I had no say in what happened in your life, even that was kept from me.
“I want to make up for 28 years of not knowing but I’ve been denied that also.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have known but why not – so I can be silenced, so I don’t try and explain to you, so I can forget about you.
“This is not me, I am a father and wi l l always be a father, I’ l l always be there for my kids. Adoption is one person’s happiness and another’s grief. “I have the grief now, I have been handed it and unwrapped it and after 28 years it’s a big bit of grief that I have to deal with as a dad for the rest of my life.”
He added: “I will always be here for you whet her it ’ s ju st someone to talk to about how you have felt for the last 28 years, I reckon we’re in the same boat so why don’t we talk and see if we can stop the grief for everyone? I had no say in your life, I was only your Dad. X”
I’ve never felt so low. I’ll always be here for you