An Irish Family Reunion for St Patricks Day

PHOENICIA — With St. Patrick’s Day upon us, here is an uplifting story of Chris Huwer who is known for his generous and playful holiday installations of skeleton scenes on Rt 28 in Phoenicia. 

“Back in the late 1950’s it was forbidden to have a child out of wedlock. My birth mother traveled from Eskra, Omaha County Tyrone to Belfast when she was 20 years old and gave birth to me in August 1958. She was the eldest of 5 and only her parents knew of the pregnancy. She stayed with me for almost a year and a half traveling back and forth one hour by public transportation.”

Huwer was connected with a family in Brooklyn through an adoption agency in County Antrim Northern Ireland when he was two-years-old. He says his adoptive family treated him as if he was their own, never treating him any differently.  

“Fast forward to 2017, my wife Jessica Huwer gave me the AncestryDNA kit for Christmas. We had been talking about this as I always knew that I was adopted and just wanted to know what full nationality I was. Never really thinking about who else was out there that I might have be related to!  So, a few months go by, and the results come back that I'm 100% Irish. I left it at that and never pursued it any further.”  

“January 18th, 2020, the day that changed my life forever. I received a message on social media which read: Hi Chris, my name is Terry O’Hagan and I'm from Co. Tyrone in Ireland. I recently completed my DNA on Ancestry and when my results came, we came up as a match.”

“So, I now have 5 sisters and 2 brothers all from the same mother and father. Along with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. I have been to Ireland numerous times, and they have been over here. Lots of good times, good laughs, and a few tears. And more to come!” 

Since Huwer moved from Brooklyn after retiring from the NYPD to Phoenicia, we at the Mountain Eagle have shared several of his Skeleton Crew holiday installations. Huwer said his family back in Ireland gets a kick out of his holiday displays, as he often sends photos to them.  This past December we did a profile article on Huwer but saved this part of that interview for a St. Patrick’s Day surprise. Huwer was separated from his natural family for 62 years before meeting them for the first time. Huwer’s message to his newly found family, “It has been an amazing journey, so far, and I’m looking forward to many more!” 

Don’t forget to check out Johnny Piper’s performance of ‘Danny Boy’ on the bagpipes at Chris Huwer’s current St. Patrick’s Day on our Mountain Eagle Facebook page and share this special holiday moment with others.