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Michael Goessling, a St. Louis man who knew he was adopted, discovered that musician Michael McDonald is his biological father after a previously unknown half-brother contacted him following a 23andMe test. The pair have since met, and McDonald learned he is also a grandfather. The account is based on interviews reported by KCTV and Consequence.
Michael Goessling, a St. Louis man who was adopted as an infant, has learned that his biological father is musician Michael McDonald, after a previously unknown half-brother contacted him through a connection made by a 23andMe DNA test. Goessling and McDonald have since spoken and met in person, a reunion that also revealed to McDonald that he has grandchildren.
According to Consequence’s report, Goessling, now in his late 50s, had always known he was adopted. He described having a wonderful childhood with his adoptive family, while still wondering about his biological parents. The discovery began when a half-brother Goessling did not know about took a 23andMe test and found Goessling in the results. The half-brother then reached out to him.
Goessling met his biological mother on his 58th birthday, the report said, and later spoke by phone with his biological father. In an interview with Kansas City CBS affiliate KCTV, Goessling recalled asking the man what he did for work. The answer was that he was a musician and would soon be in St. Louis. Goessling then asked whether he was Michael McDonald. “And he said, ‘Yeah, I’m afraid so,’” Goessling told KCTV.
McDonald and Goessling met in person this past summer, according to the report. Goessling recalled that McDonald told him he loved him, and that he returned the sentiment. McDonald also learned through the reunion that he was a grandfather. The report does not provide further details about the family’s private arrangements or how often they have been in contact since meeting.
A Family Reunion After Decades
The story describes a late-life family connection made possible by a consumer DNA service, with a test result prompting contact between previously unknown relatives. For Goessling, the discovery answered questions he had carried about his biological family while leaving his relationship with the adoptive parents who raised him central to his account.
For McDonald, the reunion brought new knowledge about his son and grandchildren, as well as a chance to learn how Goessling’s life had unfolded. McDonald told KCTV that he had worried about how life had treated his son and felt guilt over the adoption. His comments offer his perspective on the experience; the available reporting does not establish how Goessling or other family members understand every part of the adoption story.
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McDonald’s Past and Music Career
McDonald said he conceived Goessling when he was 14 years old and that Goessling was subsequently placed for adoption. The source report says McDonald discussed the story in his 2023 memoir, What a Fool Believes, before the two made contact. The new development is not the disclosure itself, but the reported discovery and subsequent reunion between father and son.
McDonald is known for his solo work, his time with the Doobie Brothers and a brief period contributing to Steely Dan. His songs include “What a Fool Believes” and “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” and he has won five Grammy Awards. Goessling and McDonald share the same first name, which the source report says is a coincidence.
““Are you Michael McDonald?” “And he said, ‘Yeah, I’m afraid so.’””
— Michael Goessling, speaking to KCTV
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The source report does not specify the date or location of the in-person meeting beyond saying it occurred this past summer, nor does it describe the family’s current contact in detail. It also does not give further information about the 23andMe results, such as the specific match data used to identify the relationship. The account is attributed to interviews and reporting by KCTV and Consequence; no independent documentation of the DNA match is included in the provided material.
McDonald’s reported account says he was 14 when Goessling was conceived and that the child was placed for adoption. The material provided does not include additional records or accounts from other family members about the circumstances surrounding the adoption.
genetic testing for family discovery
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Further Family Details May Follow
No further meeting, public appearance or next step has been announced in the source material. The reported reunion has already allowed Goessling and McDonald to meet and McDonald to learn about his grandchildren. Whether they plan to share more about their relationship or spend time together publicly remains unknown.
For now, the next confirmed development is the family’s ongoing adjustment to the connection, particularly McDonald’s new knowledge that he is a grandfather. Any further account of their relationship will depend on what Goessling, McDonald and their relatives choose to make public.
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Key Questions
Who is Michael Goessling?
Michael Goessling is a St. Louis man in his late 50s who knew he was adopted and recently learned that musician Michael McDonald is his biological father.
How did Goessling discover the connection?
A previously unknown half-brother took a 23andMe DNA test, found Goessling in the results and contacted him, according to the source report.
Have Goessling and McDonald met?
Yes. The report says they spoke by phone and met in person this past summer. It does not give the meeting’s exact date or location.
Did McDonald know he had grandchildren?
The report says the reunion revealed to McDonald that he was a grandfather. It describes him as still getting used to that news.
Had McDonald discussed the story before the reunion?
Yes. According to the source report, McDonald discussed the circumstances in his 2023 memoir, What a Fool Believes. The recent development is that he and Goessling connected and met.
Source: rss
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