CENTRE, Ala. (WIAT) — After spending his whole life wondering what family he had left, an Alabama man has finally reconnected with his long-lost brother.
John Saffa, 81, said he was pretty nervous leading up to the meeting of his baby brother.
“I never thought this was going to happen,” the Centre native said.
Saffa said his mother gave him away when he was young, so he never knew if he had any siblings or relatives who were still alive. Back in December, his daughter convinced him to get a DNA test to find out. The results changed everything.
Tom Moore, 71, lives in Arizona with his family. When they got the results of the DNA tests last year, they connected and started talking daily. Due to Saffa’s health, he couldn’t fly, so Moore decided to come down to Centre and see him Monday.
“Once I booked the ticket, I knew I was coming and I knew we were going to see each other,” Moore said.
Both said their love for sports, like baseball, helped create an immediate connection; though they don’t cheer for the same team.
“Now, he’s an Arizona fan and I’m a Braves fan. I won’t hold that against him,” Saffa joked.
Saffa said differing sports loyalties won’t change how he feels about his brother.
“I’ve got a brother. And he knows I love him and I know he loves me,” he said.
Both say this connection will last forever.
“I’m going to stay in touch with him until he gets tired of it,” Saffa said.
Moore said he plans to stay in the area for a few days, adding they have plenty of catching up to do on his trip.