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Father, son meet for first time after 48 years thanks to genealogy

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Published  March 21, 2025 6:25am EDT
Tampa
FOX 13 News

Man meets son for the first time

Genevieve Curtis reports.

The Brief

    • Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.
    • Moore said he only recently found out he had a son and was anxious to meet him.
    • Martinez said he's grateful to find his father after decades of searching.

TAMPA, Fla. - There are all kinds of reunions at airports for short trips and longer journeys. Then there’s Terry Moore of Inverness, who waited at Tampa International Airport on Thursday for a reunion 48 years in the making.

What they're saying:

"My heart is beating out of my chest right now," said Terry, anxious for the arrival of his first child.

"I’m a father. At 75 years old, I find out I’m a father," said Terry.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

Terry and his wife, Mary, never had children of their own, but just five days ago, they found out that a brief relationship Terry had before they got married led to a son he never knew he had.

"I just never expected any of it," he said.

As any father in Terry's position would be, he hasn't been able to contain his excitement.

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"I go to the bank, I tell them. I go to the hardware store, I tell them. I go to the post office, I tell them," he said.

Mike Martinez has been on one of those longer journeys, trying to find Terry.

"He’s 48. He’s been looking for me since he was 9 years old," said Terry.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

Mike used Ancestry.com and worked with a genealogist to eventually find a relative, who shared the news with Terry.

"I called him up and said, ‘I hear you’re looking for a dad,’" said Terry.

The connection was undeniable.

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"His fiancé asked what she could call me, Mr. Terry? And I said ‘No, I’ve always wanted someone to call me Dad. So this is what we are doing," said Terry.

Five days later, Mike was on his way from Houston to Tampa to meet his dad for the first time.

"My whole life," Mike said when talking about his long wait.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

The two spoke on the phone every night since they first connected.

"We just clicked. You know, we've just been really, really close since then. So I’m glad to have this moment," said Mike.

Mike said he and his fiancé plan to start a family of their own soon, so it was important for him to finally find his father.

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"I want to know everything. You know, I got a lot of a lot of catching up to do. I got a whole backpack full of pictures," said Mike.

During the years when Mike was looking for them, Terry and Mary ran their own treasure hunting business. For Terry, this is the find of a lifetime.

Terry Moore and his son, Mike Martinez, met for the first time after 48 years.

"I’ve never even dreamed of it. I mean, this is way out of the ordinary. To find out that somebody really wanted to be with me, they hunted for me for 40 some years. That gets you in the heart," said Terry.

As Terry and Mike talked over the phone, they found out they have many similarities: a shared sense of humor, riding motorcycles, a love of hot rods, and they are both entrepreneurs. They’re sure to discover more similarities during their first face-to-face visit.

The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis.

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