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Connecting the dots

Name tribute from old friend sparks relationship

On Wednesday, I took a short trip to Niagara Falls to see a man whom I'd never met before. I’ve never talked to him on the phone. A complete stranger, practically speaking.

But not really. Let me explain.

Almost 20 years ago I was online trying to set up a Skype account. After completing all input, the response came back, “Account already exists."

Hmmm. I must have typed something wrong. Try again. So I carefully retyped the information and hit "enter."

Waiting.....

"Account already exists." Wait a minute.

Third attempt. Same results?

So I did something a little unorthodox: last name first, first name second. Bingo!! Success. Still, questions persisted in my mind.

Fast forward a month or so, and who did I see online? Dale Honhart. How about that? Me!

So, I politely said "hello." He responded with a "hi."

"How are you doing?"

His response, "I’m fine thank you, and how are you?" (Enough with the small talk. Down to business.)

"So, what’s your name?" He came back, "My name is Dale Honhart."

I countered, "Well, I find that rather interesting because my name is Dale Honhart." Not a popular name like "John Smith", so I’m thinking it’s a case of identity theft. I shortly learned that the individual was living in the Philippines.

Now the gears in my mind started to turn. My wife is from the Philippines. Her family still lives in the Philippines. I’m thinking that one of her relatives was playing around, and used my name. Nothing nefarious, just wanting to remain anonymous.

So, I asked this "Dale Honhart" how he happened to get the same name as me.

Now this is where it gets interesting. He explained to me that many years before, his father had worked with an American GI at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He said, "The American was a good friend of his, and he respected him greatly. When I was born, he gave me the American's name. My name is Dale Honhart."

I asked his father’s name. "My dad is Alex Pangan."

I was floored. My old buddy from years ago. Alex -- a Filipino maintenance man at the Base Operations building where I worked in the weather station as a forecaster. Alex. My friend. He and his wife had had a baby, and out of respect gave his son my name. I never knew. Speechless.

After the devastating volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo which destroyed the base, I was on the mission essential crew that secured equipment, prepared to abandon the base and return it to the Philippine government.

My wife and I left Clark Air Base just a few days before the American flag was lowered for the last time. If I’m not mistaken, it was the very same day that "the other" Dale Honhart was born. And I never knew. Alex never told me.

Of course, those were very chaotic days. Much confusion. Limited communication. I lost complete track of my friend, Alex, but we are now again in contact.

Now, almost 35 years later, I got to meet Me. After nearly two decades of chatting on Messenger, and being friends on Fakebook, now, face-to-face.

I have a strange affinity for this young man and his family. They are beautiful people. Intelligent, friendly, caring, but mostly, Christian. Real Christian. They have both become Canadian citizens, and both work and live in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Like Dale said, it was an amazing day at Niagara Falls.

Bouts of rain slowed us down, but they did not dampen our spirits. Yes, when we left Dale, his wife and girls at the Canadian Customs office, I did cry. No shared blood. No common DNA. No relationship by marriage. Just a common, uncommon name.

It’s an honor I’ll take to my grave.