Daughter's Gift Connects Wayne Man With Long-Lost Family

WAYNE, NJ — Greg Latza had heard the stories, and he was nervous.

Latza had completed a 23 And Me ancestry kit, but he did not have the nerve to mail it right away. His daughter, Sarah gave him the kit as a Christmas present.

Finally, Latza mailed the kit and got the results back. He couldn't believe it. He had a connection with someone else who submitted a DNA sample: His cousin, Art Aughey in Colorado. He messaged him through 23 And Me and got a response. Eventually, they connected on Facebook.

"I was almost fearful because I'd heard a lot of nightmare stories because there could be a lot of rejection and disappointment. Part of me said, 'I want to do this, but I'm afraid,'" Latza said. "But that kit ended up being one of the best gifts I was ever given. My daughter was shocked. I messaged Art and got a response a few hours. I looked up family members and said, I'm from them."

Latza has a half-brother, Keith Lynch, six nieces and nephews, an Aunt Dottie, Art's mother, and cousins. He spoke with Aughey and Keith on the phone News of Latza's existence spread like wildfire through the family.

"Keith was very overwhelmed when we spoke and very positive," Latza said.

Soon, Aughey set up a private Facebook chat with Latza and his long-lost family members.

"The thread is a mile long of nothing but excitement. It has been nothing but positive," Latza said. "I've connected with four cousins who I already feel I have a relationship with. Between my half-brother, Aunt Dottie, a half dozen cousins, I feel like I already know them."

Latza was adopted when he was 1-month-old. His adoptive parents told him the truth when he was 10. He grew up in Wayne. He played Little League baseball and went to DePaul Catholic High School.

He had a great life and his adoptive parents loved him very much. But it always crossed his mind that he wanted to know more about his biological family. He has an older sister, who is also adopted, and two younger siblings. Before she died in 2013, they asked their adoptive mother for her blessing to find out more about their biological families.

Latza harbors no ill-will toward his biological mother, Pat. She kept her pregnancy a secret from everyone except for her older sister. A North Jersey native, along with much of his biological family, she moved in with a friend in the Midwest while she was pregnant.

"I have nothing but respect for my birth mom and the selfless act she did by making sure I had a good life," Latza said. "She made arrangements to give birth at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson. Aunt Dottie kept a lid on it for all of these years."

The next chapter in Latza's life will begin this weekend when he, his daughter, and his girlfriend meet 40 long-lost family members in Sarasota, Florida. He is also going to have a one-on-one dinner with his half brother. Latza said he plans on staying in touch with his new-found family after the meet up.

"I can't wait," Latza said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com