Like A Really Good Drama

I have been wanting to blog about this for about a week or so. Something very neat has happened to add to my dramatic family storyline. I know pretty little about my dad's past before he was "my dad", a man who most knew as very tolerant, stoic, and brave, with a quirky sense of humor. He was a good dad to me. I am more grateful for that now than ever.

Growing up, it was totally normal for me to have half-siblings; although I was never really close to my dad's 4 kids from his first marriage, we knew of them and they came to visit a few times. My brother Reggie was a hero during the big Northridge quake--he rescued people from his collapsed apartment building. The other 3 siblings, Jamie, Jerry, and Ronnie, live in Hawaii. Jamie, my half sister who is a respiratory therapist invited me out there to enroll at the University of Hawaii after high school, but the plans fell through for various reasons and I never went.


Reggie Gallardo

Jamie Gallardo
I was raised in a household with 3 older half-siblings from my mom's first marriage: Sarah, Susan, and Jon. I never called them 'half' brothers/sisters, unless people said we don't look alike etc. We are just brothers and sisters. Then I had 2 younger full-siblings, James and Norman.

My dad with Sarah Susan and Jon

My dad with Me and Jon

James and Norman
Well, apparently there is this social networking site called "Bookface" and pretty much everyone but me in my family has one. I prefer my blog. Anyway, Susan and I were remembering stupid funny little jokes and memories about dad, and she decided to make a memorial page for dad, so we have somewhere to keep our memories and pictures of him on. We gave a little background about his mother being a WW2 POW, and about his various bands and their success, and how he and mom met in a band. We posted about how he has 4 kids from his first marriage, 3 from his second, and 3 stepkids, and all the grandbabies etc. We semi-jokingly put, "If you think he is your dad too, feel free to comment!"

Well...someone did respond that I didn't know about. And while it is sad, it is also hopeful because we have more extended family. And the better news is---they are all beautiful! :)

About 5 yrs before my dad met my mom, I believe he was performing in Las Vegas and working as a mechanic. He had a short relationship with a woman who became pregnant by him. It is so shameful, but my dad was a totally different person then---he was a real jerk. Although he did eventually pay child support, he wasn't involved in the baby's life.

That little baby is named Michelle Jones, now Michelle Parham. She is 30 years old, married for ~10 years, and they have 3 really good-looking kids. Kaileina is 14, Leilana is 9, and Keniko is 7. Michelle happened to search for "James Gallardo" and saw the memorial page. She contacted my sister and now we have met through emails. She didn't know he had passed. It is so unfortunate because I just know that the dad I knew would have wanted to see her and be a grandpa to her children. I am sure it pressed on him from time to time and he just never did the right thing. It's hard to see my dad in a different light, because all my life I have only seen him as suffering and stoic, and a good dad. It is very disappointing and I can't even imagine the hurt that either his first kids, or Michelle felt. In my heart I do feel like dad wants us to have a relationship and I am excited to have a new sister :)

When I first saw her page, I was shocked at how much this girl looked like me, and the more I saw of her, the more I realized she really resembles my dad more than any of us. It was an odd feeling to never have met someone, but to feel some kind of connection through viewing pictures of a person who shares many of your qualities.

With her permission, I have decided to share this information and pictures with you all--it's a very intriguing story to witness, and hopefully many good things will come of it. I am excited to move to California later this year and get to meet my sister, and her family, and have hers meet mine.

Here are some pictures I borrowed from her page--even when she was a little baby/kid I see myself in her:





More recent photos with her cute kids:






this one is my favorite:


It is so nice to meet you Michelle- can't wait to meet you in person and see your family later this year! :)