Christmas miracle

Lanise Harris has no idea she's about to meet her father, after 30 years apart.

A St. Petersburg woman has been reunited with her father for the first time in 30 years, thanks to a Bay area private investigator who specializes in reuniting families.

The heartwarming reunion took place at Tyrone Square Mall.

Dillard's department store cashier Lanise Harris didn't know that her Christmas wish was about to come true, thanks to private investigator Lynn Marie Carty of  http://www.ReunitePeople.com  "I know you asked me to look for your dad and I've looked everywhere," Carty told Harris. "I've decided to come here and take a peek."

Carty turned to a middle-age gentleman who had just purchased an item from Harris. "Sir, what is it that you have in your bag?" she asked the man. "What is that? Flowers. Oh, my gosh. Lanise, this is your dad, Ocie Williams. Merry Christmas, darling."

Harris said she was 3 or 4 years old the last time she saw her father. Her mother remarried and traveled abroad with Harris' stepfather, who was in the military and stationed in Germany.

"It had to have been meant for her to find me, because I always kept her in my heart," Williams said. "I used to always tell my friends, 'I wonder what she looks like. I wonder what she looks like.'"

Williams lives in Tampa and Harris resides in St. Petersburg.

 

Joy, tears and a big hug followed the reunion.

"All I wanted for Christmas was to find my dad, and that's what I got," Harris said. "Miracles do come true."

Harris and Williams learned a lot about each other after their reunion. Harris found out she has three sisters and a brother, and Williams learned that he has two new grandsons.

"I don't care about Christmas anymore," Harris said. "I had my Christmas right here. This is my Christmas present."