One Irish teen tracked down on Facebook the father she had never met before and surprised him at work. Caitlin McKinney tracked down her dad Bachir a couple of years ago after she was raised by her mom all her life.
Bachir, originally from Morocco but now resides in Dover, England, was thrilled to hear from his 18-year-old daughter, who hails from Derry. The pair began talking on the phone after connecting on Facebook but had never met.
That all changed when McKinney decided to surprise her dad with a visit to his workplace last month, according to Belfast Live. McKinney, a full-time student, said it was her dream to meet her dad one day. She added that she would blow out candles for her birthday, which was always her wish.
McKinney and Bachir connected through Facebook
When they started speaking, McKinney said she was so excited to think that she could one day have her father in her life. She decided to surprise him, and the teenager said she could not wait to meet her dad. McKinney saw her father inside as she walked past his work, and she could not believe it. She said it was amazing and a bit emotional for both of them.
The father and daughter duo first connected on Facebook in January 2020, when she learned she had two younger siblings and a third was on the way, according to the Irish Mirror.
McKinney and her dad Bachir only met this year when she traveled to Dover on August 27 in the company of her 21-year-old boyfriend, Leonardo McGlinchey. Bachir was just finishing his work at a local café that day when he found his daughter waiting outside.
The teen recalled that unforgettable moment, saying she did not sleep at all the night before because she was excited. She said it was just amazing seeing her dad, and he could not believe she was there.
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The teen surprises dad at work
She said that right before they met, she kept telling her boyfriend, "That's my dad!" McKinney spent the week in Dover to have some quality time with her father, according to Wales Online. She said she saw Bachir every day and plans to meet her siblings soon as well.
They have also discussed a family trip to Morocco for McKinney to learn about her Irish-Moroccan heritage and meet her extended family there. She said that it was nice to be able to learn about her dad's culture because she never knew much. She is so excited to meet her half-siblings and her new baby sister.
McKinney said she felt like something was missing in her life because she did not know her dad, and now it finally feels complete.
