When Michael Goessling, 59, heard his biological father’s voice for the first time last year, he swore he recognized it.
asserted
he → hear → it
“I just said: ‘What a voice that guy has!’...
asserted
guy → say → voice
it just sounded so familiar, but I couldn’t place it.”
asserted
I → sound → it
When they spoke over the phone that night, it clicked.
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it → speak → phone
“Finally, I just said: ‘Are you Michael McDonald?’” Goessling recalled.
asserted
Goessling → say → ?
“And he chuckled and he said, ‘Yeah, I’m afraid so.’”
asserted
I → chuckle → ?
McDonald, a five-time Grammy winner who is lead vocalist of the Doobie Brothers and a successful solo artist, had a child in Missouri with his middle school sweetheart and neighbor when they were 14-years-old, Goessling told NBC News on Friday.
asserted
Goessling → have → Friday
The pair gave up the baby in a closed adoption to Goessling’s parents, who lived roughly 20 minutes away in a suburb of St. Louis, and went their separate ways, Goessling said.
asserted
Goessling → give → ways
Nearly 58 years later, they reached out to their son.
asserted
they → reach → son
In May, Goessling said he received a letter in the mail from his biological parents asking to make contact.
uncertain
he → say → contact
The 59-year-old said they tracked him down after one of Goessling’s half-brother’s found him through a 23andMe DNA test.
asserted
one → say → test
Goessling said he spoke with his biological mother that night and suggested that they get lunch that Friday — a date which had sentimental value.
uncertain
which → say → value
“She became very emotional and said, ‘Your birthday.’
asserted
She → become → birthday
And I said ‘Yes, you’ve waited long enough.
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you → say → ?
I’ve waited long enough.
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I → wait → ?
Let’s meet on my birthday, 58 years to the day
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’s → meet → day
,’” he said.
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he → say → ?
The pair met that Friday, and Goessling got a voice memo from his biological father that night.
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Goessling → meet → father
Goessling and McDonald spoke over the phone for the first time the following day.
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Goessling → speak → time
Going into the call, Goessling said he knew only his father’s first name.
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he → go → name
“I said to Mike, ‘So hey, tell me, what do you do?’
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you → say → what
And he said, ‘Well, I’m a musician.’
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I → say → ?
And I said, ‘That is awesome.
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That → say → ?
I love music.
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I → love → music
I’ve always been a music nut,’” Goessling said.
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Goessling → say → ?
Goessling said his biological father told him he had a show in St. Louis on Sept. 4, 2025.
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he → say → Sept.
“I was surprised by that statement, having done the math and knowing how old he was,” Goessling said.
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Goessling → surprise → math
“Being a touring musician was not what I was expecting.”
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I → tour → what
He said he figured McDonald was part of some sort of small touring orchestra, until McDonald revealed in passing that he was performing at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater.
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he → say → Amphitheater
When Goessling Googled who was playing at the music hall on the date and saw it was the Doobie Brothers, he pieced his father’s identity together.
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he → google → identity
“There are still days I wake up, and my first thought is I am coming out of the craziest dream, and it’s been a year and a half,” Goessling said.
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Goessling → be → dream
“I’m still trying to get my head around all of it.”
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I → try → it
Goessling has listened to the Doobie Brothers since he was a little boy and remembers when McDonald replaced lead singer and guitarist Tom Johnston in 1975, he said.
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he → listen → 1975
He said he was 8- or 9-years-old when the switch occurred, and got into an argument with other children about whether or not a song they were listening to was actually one of the band’s.
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they → say → band
“They told me, ‘No, they got a new singer.
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they → tell → singer
It’s Michael McDonald.’
asserted
It → ’ → ?
And I was like, ‘Well, this is awesome,’” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
Goessling said he’s seen the Doobie Brothers in concert twice before learning McDonald was his biological father.
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McDonald → say → concert
His adopted family was supportive of his reunification with his biological parents, Goessling said.
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Goessling → adopt → parents
For the first time, Goessling’s entire family got together the evening before McDonald’s concert in St. Louis, which he described as “one of the greatest events of my life.”
asserted
he → get → life
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
