Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — Imagine your entire life thinking you were an only child, only to discover 75 years later that you have siblings waiting to be part of your story.

Dixon Handshaw has celebrated plenty of holidays, but he said this Christmas is one he will never forget.

"It’s a Christmas miracle," said Handshaw. "That's what I call it, my Christmas miracle."

He was born in Buffalo, adopted and grew up in Elmira as an only child.

"All my life, I dreamed about having siblings somewhere," he said.

In mid-August, Handshaw ordered his pre-adoption certificate, not knowing he had a whole family he was about to discover.

"It wasn't difficult. My biggest hesitancy was I didn't want to intrude on people," Handshaw said. "I didn't know whether they would be happy that I was around or not. And, thanks to Gary over there, he was the first one I called."

"I was eating my lunch in my car at a job site, and I got a phone call and I didn't recognize the number. I hardly ever answer the phone if I don't recognize the number. But for some reason, I answered it," Gary Romig explained. "And he says, 'Hi, my name is Dixon. Are you Gary Romig?' I said, 'I am.' He goes, 'I'm your brother,' and I'm like, 'What?'"

Both men in shock, Handshaw sent Romig a photo of himself.

Romig shared it with his other five siblings and they immediately recognized their father's face.

Handshaw's plane touched down in Rochester just before 11 a.m. Friday. The siblings said meeting for the first time felt like Christmas morning.

"It's so special because he's very emotional and excited and can't believe that we are opening him, opening our arms to him and welcoming him to family," said sister Wendy Gell.

Handshaw will be meeting his entire family Saturday, greeting 55 new faces. The siblings are all thankful to be spending this holiday together as a family.

"I'm not going to waste any time having this new family," said Handshaw. "I couldn't be happier."

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