[Publisher’s Note: We received this touching story from legendary New Zealand singer Evan Silva about his new song and the incredible story that inspired it]
My Story: Evan Silva & Katherine Warren
I’m writing this to encourage others who are searching for their natural Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Family. For a long, long time, I had a gut feeling that I had a daughter out there somewhere… and recently, that gut feeling came true.
On October 21, 2025, I received and email from a woman in Sydney, Australia, introducing herself as Katherine Warren and suggested I sit down to read the rest of the email, as she was my daughter. She was now 56 years old and born December 18th, 1968, and adopted four weeks later in early Janurary 1969.
Well, as you can imagine, I was surprised and needed to follow this up, as I did. Katherine said she’d had her DNA completed with Ancestry, and it was a 100% match with me, and she had known for a week or two and just couldn’t wait any longer to make contact. She had been working along with a Search Angel Adoption Agency person, Diane Cuff, who was a wonderful support and help in this sensitive situation.
On hearing this, I had to go back to my memories of my music days, of arriving in Sydney in 1967 and living at the Plaza Hotel in Kings Cross, etc., which I did.
I got back to Katherine later that day by email to ask her some questions. One major one was, what did your Mother look like? She replied that, due to her adoption, she didn’t have that information other than a description of her Mother on her Adoption papers, which read… Jane Zeckley… Honey blonde hair/Blue/Grey eyes/Height 5’4in.
I remembered her Mother immediately in detail, even though it was a brief encounter, and the emotions starting running right then and there… with regards to Katherine being my daughter, as I had no information on this at all, ever. I then had my DNA with Ancestry done, which confirmed she was mine by 100%.
On receiving this information, I was 77 years of age, with a daughter of 56 years of age!! I was overwhelmed with emotion, deeply moved, and unsure where to start.
We communicated by email frequently, then we finally spoke through Whats App, which was absolutely amazing and became almost a weekly event. My wife and sons were thrilled and so supportive also.
Our aim was to physically meet, either in Sydney or NZ, in 2026…
It took me a while to adjust to her calling me Dad and, likewise, me calling her my Daughter… however, it happened within a short space of time… as we chatted and got to know each other… though she had checked me out thoroughly due to profile.
This was such a deep experience for both of us, and for her after years of searching for me, and as I had no idea she even existed at all, as I was never informed.
The love was felt almost instantly. The tears ran frequently as we developed our connection…
Now, unfotunately, this delightful true story has a sad ending, as on March 10, 2026, my darling daughter passed away, which was absolutely devastating, for not only me, but for her Son and two grandkids… which are now my Grandson and Great Grand Kids.
What a struggle it’s been for the last few months. However, time and loving family assist you through these times of loss and grief.
I’m left with the feeling of gratitude, having had a gut feeling that started years ago that actually came true… as my beautiful daughter Katherine found me… I wrote and recorded a song (Part Of Me) for her, which she heard months before she passed… and loved it!
So here I am… writing this to encourage those of you who are searching to be prepared for a possible surprise.
Evan Silva
