Dad Gives up Daughter after Brain Aneurysm. 39 Years Later, Posts Photo with Message
Jerry Miller barely got to hold his daughter in his arms before she was taken away.
Miller suffered a brain aneurysm, and doctors told him he needed surgery that could leave him in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.
Miller’s wife was only 17 at the time, and her family thought she was too young to raise a child on her own. The baby was put up for adoption, and Miller never saw her again.
“Holding her in my arms 30 to 45 minutes. The most beautiful baby and then they taking (sic) her out of my arms and walk away,” Miller said of his short encounter with his daughter.
“That’s a nightmare that nobody wants to see or be in,” he continued. Since the surgery, Miller has fully recovered, separated from his first wife, and met his second wife, Brenda.
“Gosh, how much more can I stand seeing him like this?” Brenda told WAVE 3. She knows how much this search means to her husband, and feels his pain as if it were her own.
Most recently, Miller took to Facebook to try to find his lost daughter. He posted a picture of himself holding a sign, hoping the message would reach her — wherever she was.
“Looking for my daughter,” the post said, followed by a description that might help her identify him. He explained why he had to give her up, ending with the message, “I have never forgotten.”
Miller was all-in on his Facebook post. With the adoption records sealed, he knew showing this to the world might be his last shot.
“Maybe that’s why I’m so emotional,” he said. “If she doesn’t see it, I’ll probably go to my grave regretting it.”
As Miller searches, he holds out hope that he’ll be able to develop a relationship with his daughter. “We can still be family and love each other,” he said.
“If she didn’t want that – we can still be friends.” After the news picked up Miller’s story, he got a fantastic surprise.
According to WAVE 3, the news station who originally covered Miller’s story, he was able to locate his daughter and finally find closure. One Facebook post was able to erase years of regret for Jerry Miller.
“I would like to thank everyone for sharing my daughter’s post and praying for me,” wrote Miller in a post on Facebook. “Thanks to the news stations for covering my story.”
“Most of all, I’m thankful that God used this to help me locate my daughter. I want to encourage everyone to have hope in God and His timing.”
“Thank you all again for your support and prayers.”
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