Overview
- A 23andMe match that surfaced Thursday linked an unnamed half‑brother to Michael Goessling and set in motion contact between Goessling and McDonald.
- Goessling met his birth mother on his 58th birthday and then spoke by phone with McDonald, who confirmed his identity before the men arranged an in‑person meeting.
- When they met in St. Louis the two embraced and exchanged words of love, and McDonald learned he has two grandchildren.
- McDonald and Goessling’s birth mother were both 14 when Goessling was conceived and the child was placed for adoption, a history McDonald first disclosed in his 2024 memoir.
- The reunion, reported as a private, emotional family event, highlights the growing role of consumer DNA services in reuniting relatives and prompted public praise for Goessling’s adoptive parents for providing him a loving upbringing.