SURPRISE: A father meets his 61-year-old son for the first time.

It’s never too late to find missing family members.

Tony Trapani is 81 years old, and he’s always wanted a son. Always. He fully expected he would leave this world without having been a father, and that was unspeakably sad for him.

Until he found a letter written 50 years ago, which revealed that he does, in fact, have a son.

Tony just met his 61-year-old son for the first time, and the reaction is truly wonderful.

So why didn’t Trapani find this letter till now? How can an envelope stay sealed for 50 years?

As he explains, it was from an ex-lover in 1959, telling him that he had a 5-year-old son. Trapani’s wife hid the letter in her filing cabinet so he never saw it – until this week.

“Why my wife didn’t tell me, I don’t know,” a tearful Trapani said when talking on Fox17.

Trapani continued to explain, through tears, that his wife had always wanted children but couldn’t have any.

A son plays music for his mum who has Alzheimers and doesn’t recognise him any more.

“She tried and tried and tried,” he said on Fox17.

He admitted he had always wanted children too, but just thought it would never happen for him.

Trapani’s son, Samuel Childress, always thought that his father had received the letter. But assumed his dad wanted nothing to do with him. So growing up Samuel believed that meeting his father was just a dream and would never become a reality.

“Knowing now is so important to me, it’s going to fill that void that I didn’t have,” Samuel said on Fox17.

Trapani’s sister read out some of the 50-year-old letter, which said, “I have a little boy, he’s 5 years old now. What I’m trying to say Tony is he is your son. He was born November 19th 1953.”

When asked on the U.S news channel how he feels in this moment Trapani responded with some humour, but also through sheer emotion, “how does anybody feel when they have a new born son?”

A beautiful note from a father to his gay son.

Great answer dad.

For a man that always wanted a son – he may have been 61 years late – but his wish has (finally) come true.

See the full interview, and tearful reunion here.

Have you ever found someone was keeping a secret from you?