Adopted Man Discovers Life-Altering Truth About Co-Worker
This might be one of the wildest reunion stories you’ve ever heard, but it happens to be 100% true. Truck driver and Wisconsin resident Nathan Boos got the shock of his life when he found out that not only did he know his estranged biological father—but he had been working with him for the last two years.
It’s not uncommon that co-workers can become friends, especially if you share the same interests—but how about if you shared the same genes? How would you feel if your old buddy at work turned out to be your old man? Read on to learn more about Nathan’s shocking workplace-relation revelation.
Nathan Had Always Known He Was Adopted
When Nathan was growing up, he knew that his parents were not his biological mother and father. Through osmosis, he discovered that his adopted parents knew their identity and that they had lived in a nearby city, but he rarely probed the topic any further.
He was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and adapted right after he was born. Nathan had been content without knowing his blood parents, or he assumed he would never get the chance to meet them. He was right on that—the odds of it happening seem highly improbable.
The Trucking Life
Nathan had learned his biological mother’s name, but that was as much as he knew. It wasn’t something he had ever felt hung up on. Now, 27 years later, Nathan is making a life for himself as a trucker, hauling goods over highways and back.
Nathan had initially planned to work as a welder, but the trucking life, pulling hours on the road, seemed to suit him better. He had always liked the idea of the profession. One summer, he signed up for the job, and that was that.
The Friend Request That Changed Everything
One day, while browsing Facebook, Nathan’s adoptive mother picked up a strange story on her news feed. Nathan had accepted a friend request from his biological dad. She felt it was probably time to break the silence on the topic. And so, she headed out to see her son.
After showing up at his place and telling him the news, Nathan couldn’t believe it. After looking through his friends’ list together, his mom pointed him out. Nathan’s father had turned out to be a truck driver, just like him.
Just A Normal Workplace Relationship
Coincidence? Maybe. But when Nathan asked if his biological father knew his identity, his mom couldn’t answer. If he had known, he hadn’t given any hints about it. It seems obvious that if you met your own estranged son at a job, you’d probably let something slip.
Can you imagine holding a secret like that back? Not likely. Surely, if he had known, he would have revealed it through a direct personal message—say, over Facebook. Besides a few jokes and back-and-forth messages, he had said nothing to suggest that he was his father.
Nathan’s Biological Dad
Nathan’s dad hadn’t reached out about it—he had been just as in the dark about it as Nathan had been. His name was Bob Degaro. He had added Nathan because they were co-workers at the same trucking company, Rock Solid Transport, based in Chippewa Falls.
Beyond a few casual conversations at work, the two men never really got to know each other. After their stirring conversation, Nathan’s mom asked him to send Bob a message. Nathan asked him if he knew a name—the name of his biological mother.
Getting Answers
Bob replied by telling him that she was his ex-wife. After two years of working together, the two men discovered they were related—father and son. With the truth revealed, the two men found the time to sit down and hash out some questions and answers.
Bob had two other children with his ex-wife, Nathan’s biological mom. He explained that he had given his son up for adoption because of the financial stress.
Reaction To the News
If you’re wondering what their reaction to the news was, it was out of the ordinary. For Nathan, it was the most shocking realization he already had. “I about fell out of my seat,” he said.
It’s not an easy thing to be told that the father you thought you’d never meet was already your work buddy for two years. We are sure he had so many questions and his emotions were running high.
The Adoption
Bob said he didn’t consider himself much of a father back then. But when it came down to making a choice, he said it hadn’t been easy. Nathan’s biological mother asked her distant relatives to raise her son as their own.
Bob was unaware of who had adopted his third son, but he would have never believed that he would be meeting him as a co-worker. It’s certainly not what anyone would have reasonably suspected.
Completely Unaware
In Bob’s words, “His biological mom had chosen the adoptive parents because they were somewhat related, distant cousins, I believe, but I didn’t know that.” It might surprise some readers to realize that Bob had no idea who adopted his kids, and it didn’t seem like he made any effort to find out either.
Could it be that he was overwhelmed by the situation and avoided knowing Nathan’s adoptive parents to reduce the chances of coming back for his child?
How Do You Raise an Adult?
As you can expect, Bob was also shocked when he heard the news. But he was also concerned about how their relationship would be going forward. How does he become a father to a son who is already his own man?
“There are days when I’m not sure what to say or how to act. I mean, he is my son but I mean we didn’t have that father-son relationship growing up and instead met through a work relationship,” he said.
A Tough Decision
Having a child doesn’t automatically make a man capable of fathering him. In many of such cases, the parental instinct to ensure that the child grows up without lacking anything overwhelms the need to have them close.
Although it was a tough decision to make, we think Bob’s biological parents made the right decision to give him up for adoption. Who knows how differently everything would have turned out if they hadn’t?
Their Similarities
While they might not have noticed it, Nathan and Bob have some distinct similarities. It’s obvious when you see them walking and chatting together. They share the same features and have a similar sense of humor between them.
It’s amazing that nobody put two and two together—although, due to the nature of their work, we can imagine that in-person meetings probably don’t take place all that often. We can’t help but wonder how the rest of the company reacted once they got wind.
Their Friendship
When you spend enough time around a group of people, they can become something of a family. This is true for most people, but in Nathan and Bob’s case, it’s literal. Despite their strange circumstances, the two have continued to be friends.
Bob explained that “it’s still a shock. Sometimes I’m not sure what to say or how to act.” Being that he didn’t have a father-son relationship with Nathan, it’s unsurprising that he struggles to see it that way. The same goes for Nathan.
An Ode to Technology
While we believe in fate, divine intervention, and in the saying that “whatever will be, will be,” we can’t help but acknowledge the role technology has played in this reunion.
We also can’t help but imagine if this would have ever been possible without social media. More than ever before, we’re thankful for the immense help that technology has provided in helping us reunite with loved ones.
Keep On Trucking
Bob described the strange experience of having known his son as a co-worker before knowing him as kin. We can’t imagine a stranger thing to happen. We’re only glad that it seems to have worked out for the two men and that they seem excited to grow their friendship.
There are probably challenges ahead, and with a little luck, good times as well. As for Nathan, he’s “taking it one day at a time, one mile at a time, as we say in the trucking business.” We wish this unlikely father and son duo all the best for the future.