Redditors come together to help Filipino youngster find Kerala father after 28 years

An intriguing ‘son-searching-for-father’ situation is unfolding on social news aggregation and discussion forum Reddit, with a Filipino youngster’s post asking for help to trace his father he never saw triggering a flurry of possibilities, suggestions and advice

Hyderabad: An intriguing ‘son-searching-for-father’ situation is unfolding on social news aggregation and discussion forum Reddit, with a Filipino youngster’s post asking for help to trace his father he never saw triggering a flurry of possibilities, suggestions and advice.

The post, from the youngster identifying himself as ‘Agreeable-Crazy – OP’ was posted last night.

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“Please help me find my father. I have never seen him since I was born. My mother said he was from Kerala, India. They met each other in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They worked for the same employer. My mother was a Nanny and my father was a driver. Their employer’s names are Mohamed Al Hegelan and Asmah Al Hegelan. Their children who my mother took care of when they were little are named Dala, Noura and Joharah. When my mother got pregnant she went back to the Philippines and she lost communication with my father. I was born in 1998. My mother said his name is “Shereef Nurideen” She was not sure if the spelling is correct. Please share this photo and help me find my dad. This is the only picture of him that I have. If you guys have any suggestions on agencies, people, groups or whatever lead I can take or try to reach out to, pls post them in the comment section…”

He also posted a photograph of a letter the man, Shereef, wrote to his mother.

“This is the only letter my mom was able to save. This letter is the reason why I never hated my father and always had the desire to look for him,” he says, adding that he did not mean to cause any harm or problem to his father.

“I am not after any riches or material things. I understand that he might have his new family by now and by no chance do I intend to ruin his present family. My mother moved on with her life, she married another man and I now have 4 half siblings on her side. I am also married now, having my first child next month. All I want is to meet him, see how he is doing, let him know that I am alive and well and just to fill this missing piece of me,” he says.

And that was enough to set off a tsunami of answers. While one pointed out that Kerala had 14 districts, and that if they could get the name of the district from where Shereef hailed, a search on the electoral roll could be done.

To the youngster’s query on whether there was any government agency in Kerala that handles immigration of residents going out of the country, pointing out that his father had arrived in Saudi around 1997, Redditors asked him to check with the government agency, Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA).

“You may want to get on Print media and or Television channels. Print media and TV channels in Kerala will love to take up your story. Especially morning talk show formats.

Major channels like Kairali and Asianet often highlight interesting stories like yours,” suggested another.

There were cautionary messages too.

“Beware – Kerala society is very conservative. Having children outside of wedlock is not at all accepted. Your dad may not even want to acknowledge you, because it is very, very likely that he has kept his past relationships a secret and very likely has a wife and kids of his own. Sorry to say this, but please be prepared for him to not acknowledge you, even if you somehow manage to find him,” said one.

Another one suggested a Facebook group called ‘World Malayali Circle’ with 6 lakh people.

“If someone from his native can identify then you can find him. Post there,” he said.

Another Redditor suggested tracking his father by checking out his food preferences, or the airport he used to land in Kerala, anything his mother could remember.

“Once we find the place, then within 10 mins, you’ll get his phone number!” he added confidently.

The story is still unfolding.