A Mississippi woman and her dad – who she once thought was dead – are spending their first Father's Day together after decades apart.

Since she was 10 years old, Cindy McKay believed her father was dead, according to WDAM. But that all changed last year when she found a Facebook profile for Bruce Edward McCarty Sr. She messaged him and asked if they were related.

Then came the shocking news: McCarty wasn't just any relative; he was her father.

>> Read more trending stories

"For 25 years, I thought he was dead," McKay told WDAM. "He thought all this time that I wanted nothing to do with him."

The pair has reconnected over the past year, meeting once a week. But this weekend is extra special: Sunday is their first Father's Day together – and it's McCarty's birthday, as well.

"I love my daddy," McKay said. "Don't ever give up on hope on those that you have lost."

About the Author

Keep Reading

(Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC)

Credit: Philiip Robibero / AJC

Featured

Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.  Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)