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Adopted St. Louis man learns singer Michael McDonald is his biological father

Michael Goessling, 58, adopted as an infant in Missouri, learned through 23andMe matches that Doobie Brothers singer Michael McDonald, 74, is his biological father. The two have since met in person.

2 outlets · 1L · 0C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: New York Post
Image: The A.V. Club

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The story, neutrally told

Michael Goessling, a 58-year-old St. Louis man adopted as an infant, has learned that his biological father is Michael McDonald, the Doobie Brothers vocalist. Goessling was put up for adoption after his biological parents conceived him when they were both 14. Goessling says he had a happy childhood with his adoptive parents, Paul and Kay Goessling, and always knew he was adopted, but stayed curious about his biological family.

The discovery began when a half-brother he had not known about and Goessling both used 23andMe and were matched; the New York Post quotes Goessling saying the half-brother was notified within 36 hours. Goessling met his birth mother on his 58th birthday, according to the New York Post, then spoke by phone with his biological father, who mentioned he was a musician preparing for a tour through St. Louis. Goessling asked, "Are you Michael McDonald?" and McDonald replied, "Yeah, I'm afraid so." McDonald, 74, who has stayed in close contact with the birth mother, said they had always talked about the child and feared "how did life treat him?", and that he carried guilt over it. He said learning his son was okay and had a good life was "a great reward" and that "the real rock stars in this story are his adoptive parents."

Father and son met in person when McDonald's tour passed through St. Louis; Goessling said McDonald gave him a bear hug and told him he loved him, and he said the same back. McDonald said he is still adjusting to being a grandfather, since Goessling has two children. He also praised Goessling's wife and the children. Both outlets draw on local television reporting: the A.V. Club cites Kansas City's KCTV-5, while the New York Post cites First Alert 4.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left1 outlet

Framing
A light, wry human-interest item that leads on the surreal phone exchange, summarising local TV reporting.
Emphasis
The oddness of the conversation and McDonald's reaction to becoming a grandfather.
Leaves out or plays down
Leaves out the adoptive parents' names, the birth-mother meeting on Goessling's birthday, the 36-hour detail and McDonald's marriage.
Charged language
“surreal”
For example
““Are you Michael McDonald?” is probably one of the more surreal.” — The A.V. Club

Centre0 outlets

No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Right1 outlet

Framing
A celebrity feel-good story that leads on the shock discovery and McDonald's tribute to the adoptive parents.
Emphasis
Goessling's quotes, McDonald's fame (five Grammys, "yacht rock"), his family life and the reunion.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the KCTV-5 report the A.V. Club cites.
Charged language
“shock of a lifetime”“yacht rock”
For example
“got the shock of a lifetime when he discovered his biological father” — New York Post