Surprising Ancestry.com Discovery Brings Together Father, Daughter After 63 Years

At O’Hare Airport, 89-year-old William “Chico” Higgins Jr. met his daughter Cherise Irving for the first time after a DNA match through Ancestry. com confirmed their relationship. This emotional encounter followed years of Irving believing another man was her father. The discovery was prompted by Irving's daughter, Barbie Chapman, who helped her access her Ancestry account and found the match.

Irving, who often felt out of place growing up, expressed her shock and excitement about the newfound connection. The two began daily conversations, learning about their shared backgrounds, including Higgins’ influential family history. Notably, Higgins’ mother was the first Black personnel director at Spiegel’s department store. Their reunion highlights the transformative power of genealogy and its impact on personal identity. This story underscores the significance of family bonds and the unexpected connections that can emerge through modern technology.