GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — An 81-year-old man from Michigan found out he had a son, through a hidden letter sent decades ago.

The letter was sent by the child’s mother over 50 years ago, WXMI reported.  At the time the letter said he had a 5-year-old son, but now his son is 61.

Tony Trapani, 81, was cleaning out a file cabinet after his wife passed away, when he found the letter, according to WXMI.

Samuel Childress,  said he spent his life thinking his dad was ignoring the letter his mom sent. “I always asked my mom, ‘Well what does he look like?’ She said, ‘Well, go look in the mirror.’”

Trapani claims that his late wife must have intercepted the letter and hid it for decades, because they couldn’t conceive their own child, WXMI said.

“Why my wife didn’t tell me,” said Trapani. “I don’t know. She wanted children. She couldn’t have any. She tried and tried.”

Now that  Childress has met his dad who was just a distant memory until now, he said  “Just to know him now is so important to me. It’s going to fill that void.”

“He’s my full son that I’ve had my whole life, but why my wife hid that letter is beyond me,”  Trapani said.

Now they can catch up on their lives and make the most of the time they have together.

The men plan to have a paternity test, just to be 100 percent sure, WXMI said.