An adopted Missouri man got the shock of a lifetime when he discovered his biological father was five-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers.
Michael Goessling was put up for adoption as an infant after his biological parents got pregnant when they were both 14 years old, First Alert 4 reported.
Goessling said he “had a wonderful childhood” raised in St. Louis by his adoptive parents, Paul and Kay Goessling — but always remained curious about his biological roots.
“I could not pick two finer folks to raise me,” he said, adding that he “Always knew I was adopted.”
Goessling’s curiosity peaked when he learned he had a half-brother he never knew existed after they both submitted their DNA to 23andMe and were notified of their match.
“Within 36 hours, [my half-brother] got an email notifying him: Michael Goessling, half-brother, St. Louis,” Goessling said. “And that’s how this all began.”
Goessling met with his birth mother in person on his 58th birthday and later connected with his biological father on the phone, who modestly mentioned he was a musician preparing for a tour through St. Louis.
“I said, ‘Are you Michael McDonald?’” Goessling said.
“And he said, ‘Yeah, I’m afraid so.’”
McDonald, who has remained close friends with Goessling’s birth mother over the years, said he “always carried that guilt with me” of not knowing what happened to his son after the young teens gave him up for adoption decades earlier.
“We always talked about him. And it always came down to our greatest fear was, how did life treat him?” McDonald, 74, told the outlet.
“But just to know that he was okay and that he had a good life, and a life certainly that I wouldn’t have been able to afford him at that time, was a great reward,” the “What a Fool Believes” singer said.
“The real rock stars in this story are his adoptive parents.”
It is purely coincidental that the biological father and son — who later met in person — share the same first name.
“When he first saw me, he put his arms out, gave me a big old bear hug and told me he loved me, and I told him the same,” Goessling said.
The yacht rock vocalist, who has been married to singer Amy Holland since 1983 and shares two adult children with, said he is “still wrapping my head” around the fact he’s a grandfather — since Goessling is a dad of two.
“My daughter-in-law is just the daughter-in-law you’d hope for,” the singer added of Goessling’s wife.
“And the kids are two of the greatest kids you’d ever meet. I’m just so proud of them.”
