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Rabat – After tracking him down on Facebook in 2020, Irish teenager Caitlin McKinney finally reunited this past August 27 with Bachir, her Moroccan father.
The pair, who had never met before, talked for the first time two years ago when Caitlin found her long-lost father by a stroke of social media luck.
The father and daughter had their first-ever conversation in January 2020; they spoke on the phone and did not meet in person until late last month.
18-year-old Caitlin McKinney is originally from Derry. Her mother raised her, while her Moroccan father, Bachir, lives in Dover, England, and works in a local cafe.
Caitlin paid her father a visit at work, accompanied by her 21-year-old boyfriend, Leonardo McGlinchey. She told the British news outlet Mirror: “I decided to surprise him, and I couldn’t wait to meet him – I saw him inside as I walked past his work, and I couldn’t believe it. It was amazing. It was a bit emotional for us both.’’
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Caitlin spent a whole week in Denver so she could meet her father every day. Her father Bachir told her she had two younger siblings, with a third on the way.
During their reunion, they planned a family trip to Morocco. Caitlin will get the chance to learn more about her Irish-Moroccan history and meet members of her father’s family during the trip.
“It’s nice to be able to learn about my dad’s culture because I never knew much. I’m so excited to meet my half-siblings and my new baby sister,’’Caitlin said.
Caitlin could not hide her emotions, she was overjoyed and finally at peace.
“I felt like something was missing in my life because I didn’t know my dad – and now it finally feels complete,’’ she enthused. “It was a dream of mine to meet my dad one day. Every birthday I would blow out candles and that was my wish.’’
