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'Never give up hope': Woman drives to Georgia to meet father after 27 years

By Kimberly Richardson

James Cassidy and Anna Nicole Boone 

By Kimberly Richardson

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A woman’s message if you’re looking for your biological parents: Never give up hope.

Seven years ago, Anna Nicole Boone, 27, of of North Carolina, lost her biological mother to ovarian cancer, and while she has a loving stepfather, she tells Channel 2’s Kimberly Richardson she had never felt more lost.

“I felt so alone,” Boone said. “I felt so disconnected to the world … Something was missing.”

What was missing was her biological father.

Boone tells Richardson she believes her mother didn’t know who her father was.

“She was 17 years old and hid the pregnancy from my grandparents,” Boone said. “I believe she was afraid of what they'd think.”

After thinking about her biological father for years, Boone decided it was time to find him after “being sad and empty for so long.”

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While on ancestry.com, Boone saw an ad for a DNA test. It was on sale for Father’s Day, which seemed liked a pretty great time to finally make the jump.

Within weeks, the results came back. Boone had some answers.

She was able to contact her father’s sister, Judy Serode, who instantly messaged her brother, who had no idea he had a 27-year-old daughter – but that didn’t matter. James Cassidy, of Cornelia, Georgia, wanted to meet his “little girl.”

In tears, Boone told Richardson that she can’t quite put into words how happy she is.

The 27-year-old drove to Georgia last week to meet her father for the first time, and said it was perfect.

Cassidy told Boone that he always wants to be in her life, that he loves her and will always be there.

“He said we’ve started a new chapter,” Boone said, wiping back tears. “God was leading me on the path, and I’m just so glad I never gave up.”

Boone emphasizes that she wanted to share her message with the world to give others hope. She’d been discouraged on the way, and said she has been through so much, but is so unbelievably glad she never gave up.

“This has been just the best year of my life,” Boone said.

Not only has the 27-year-old found her biological father this year, but she has also graduated from college with two bachelors degrees -- with honors.

"The entire journey that led me here ... I appreciate that journey," Boone said.

Cox Media Group

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