Woman, 35, Embarks on Emotional Journey to Find Biological Father. 3 Weeks Later, She Gets a DNA Match

For most of her life, Sarah Pilkington from Vancouver, Washington, never knew who her biological father was. Her mother became pregnant at 20 and, having had multiple partners, was never certain of the paternity. The question faded further when her mother married the man who would become Pilkington’s stepfather — a relationship that proved distant and difficult.

Although she and her mother remained close, Pilkington always felt a piece of her identity was missing. By August 2025, at age 35, she decided it was finally time to search for her biological father — a choice that would lead to a life-changing discovery.

In a series on TikTok, Pilkington shared that she had long considered herself a “burden” and feared rejection if she ever sought out her father. “You tend to seek out a lot of outside validation,” she explained. “Never having a strong male role model impacted my self-worth. I really pined for his approval, and that shaped so many of my choices in relationships.”

After divorcing in 2024 and rebuilding her confidence, she finally felt ready to begin her search. “Up until this point, I was always so afraid of being rejected by whoever my father was,” she said. “But I finally felt supported enough to go look for him — and handle however it played out.”

In early August, after a morning spent laughing with a close friend, Pilkington ordered an ancestry DNA test. She remembers feeling calm and peaceful about the decision. Three weeks later, she received her results — and an immediate close family match. “It turned out to be my aunt,” she said. “My sister looked her up on Facebook and sent me photos of this man with striking brown eyes, and I just knew.”

Pilkington reactivated her long-dormant Facebook account to message the woman identified as her aunt. The response came quickly. Her aunt asked questions about her birth and her mother, then helped her connect with her biological father — Greg Mickles, 55, from Wildomar, California.

“My dad and I spoke on the phone almost daily once we connected,” Pilkington recalled. “We just needed to find a time to meet.”

On October 20, 2025, Mickles and his wife flew to Seattle and drove to Vancouver to meet her in person. Leading up to that day, Pilkington felt nervous and numb — but the moment she opened the door, everything changed. “I had my dad. He cried, I cried, we all cried. He’s honestly a really kind person,” she said. “My dad is just like me — we’re both tender hearts, big softies. He’s better than I hoped for.”

What surprised her most was how smoothly everything unfolded. “I’ve heard of these searches going badly. I didn’t think I’d find him this fast or that it would be this easy,” she admitted. “And part of me never believed he’d want anything to do with me. Boy, was I wrong.”

Looking ahead, Pilkington is excited to spend the holidays with her father and extended family. “I feel a level of peace I cannot quite describe,” she said.

For others considering their own search for a birth parent, she offers one piece of advice: don’t do it alone. “My family, friends, and partner helped me feel safe enough to begin this,” she said. “Without their support, it would have taken me a lot longer to get here.”