(WSVN) - He served our country and made a career out of fighting crime, but the biggest fight for this Fort Lauderdale Police officer has been finding his family. 7’s Brandon Beyer has this inspirational story.
John Loges and his son Hayden wait patiently at Fort Lauderdale Airport.
John Loges: “She just said she just landed.”
The wait seems like an eternity. And just like that, after 43 years, the wait is over.
John Loges: “There they are, right there.”
John is meeting his biological sister for the first time. A sister he didn’t even know he had until a year ago.
John Loges: “It’s the first time we’ve ever met each other, we don’t even know each other. Now we’re going to get to spend time with each other.”
When John was just a few months old, his mother disappeared. He never knew what happened to her.
He was only 2 years old when his father passed away.
John was raised by his grandparents, grew up, served in the Army and later became a Fort Lauderdale cop.
Shawna Posselt: “I feel like I already know him.”
Off to John’s house for a little rest and relaxation.
But his past caught up to him a year ago when his mother reached out to him on Facebook.
John Loges: “I kind of gave her the third degree, being the cop, and quizzing and asked her about my paternal grandparents. And sure enough, it’s my mom.”
He says that’s when reality set in.
John Loges: “I said, ‘Yeah, you left me and you were gone all that time.'”
So they made plans to reunite, but right before the trip, his mother got sick. She had to cancel, but his sister didn’t.
John Loges: “I wanted us to have a little alone time together first.”
John was proud to give his sister a grand tour of the Fort Lauderdale Police station.
John Loges: “This is my long-lost sister I just found after 43 years.”
His sister had to return to Idaho. She lives near their mother who now Skypes daily with John.
John’s mother :”Yep, I can hear you.”
The Army has arranged for John to attend a seminar in September. That’s when he’ll meet his mom for the first time in Idaho.
John Loges, speaking his mother over Skype: “It will probably be the last week, second-to-last week in September.”
Until then, with tears in his eyes, John is thankful for finding his family.
John Loges: “I grew up my life, you know, without having any siblings. By myself. Always felt really alone, and now I have someone else. I have my own family, but I always wanted to have a sister.”
As a police officer, John says he’s trained to ask tough questions. And he has plenty of them for the mother who left him. He hopes to get some answers when they meet later this fall.
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