Maria Biskie spent her life searching.
Born in the Philippines in 1973, she never knew her father. In her lowest moments, she’d longed to have him by her side. That day came earlier this year, after testing with 23andMe. 
“There were a lot of times in my life which were very rough and very hard for me,” Maria told the Hays Daily News in Hays Kansas. “I could only wish he was there.”
Maria and her biological father, Bill Tittle met in person for the first time at in early March. For Tittle, who never married and never knew he had a child, meeting Maria was a little overwhelming.
“I’m not an emotional guy, but it gets to me,” he said while wiping away tears.
Tittle was in the Navy and stationed in the Philippines in the early 1970s when he began dating Maria’s mother. This was during the waning days of the Vietnam War, and when he left on a deployment without much notice he didn’t know his girlfriend was pregnant. When he returned, she was gone.
Maria’s mom had moved back to her hometown a few hours away to have her baby. Tittle tried but was unable to find her, he told the paper
Tittle is now retired and lives in Venice California. He never married. Learning he has not only a daughter, but also four grandchildren, brings him great joy.
“I have no other kids, and it was good news to me. I tell people I got the email a young man fears and an old man looks forward to,” he said.
For Maria, finding her father has brought her peace.
“I found everything I’ve been looking for in my life,” she said.
Check out her story here.