Dad Reunited With Daughter After She's Found In A Homeless Shelter
April 18, 2016
Dad Reunited With Daughter After 2 Year Search
Bryan Thouvenel spent two years in a search he says felt a lot like looking for a needle in a haystack. But no matter how stacked the odds were against him, Bryan wasn't ever going to give up. And that's because he was looking for his little girl, Harmony. And we're happy to report that this dad reunited with his daughter after two long, painful years of separation. [rsnippet id="2" name="ArticleAd-300x250-3"] Credit: Katie Alaimo / AP Bryan, who lives in Oregon, was in a relationship with Harmony's mother when Harmony was born. But a few years later, the relationship went south and the couple broke up. That's when Bryan's ex-girlfriend took off with their daughter. The disappearance of his daughter absolutely shattered Bryan. He spent time in the hospital for a heart attack and nervous breakdown that he says was brought on from the stress of the situation. His entire world crumbled, and depression consumed him. He says,"I couldn’t go to work because doctors wouldn’t release me. I didn’t have a place to live because I wasn’t making money. I wasn’t eating because I either couldn’t afford to or I was so ill that I couldn’t keep anything down. I was truly in the worst health of my life, and in every sense of the word, I was dead."Bryan did everything he could to find his daughter. He knew his ex had headed for Washington state, but he had no idea of the exact whereabouts. But he vowed to find out, and started the search that would span two years. Though it was a seemingly impossible search, God had a purpose and a plan! And there's no doubt God orchestrated the incredible circumstances that had this daughter and dad reunited! Credit: Katie Alaimo / AP Bryan was having dinner with his mom, Cindy, when he received a call from a friend who'd spotted Harmony and her mother at a Salvation Army site in Spokane, Washington. Bryan and his mom immediately jumped in the car and made the 10 drive from Oregon to Spokane, where they got a court order for custody of Harmony. RELATED: A son reconnects with his father who's been missing for 7 years Harmony and her mother were brought to the courthouse, where a judge ruled in favor of Bryan's custody. After the ruling, Bryan was told to wait outside of the courtroom. Anxiously he waited on a bench where he told himself to be strong and not cry. The doors opened, and the now-5-year-old Harmony nervously walked out.
“I said, ‘Harmony, its daddy.’ Her eyes just kind of lit up,” Bryan recalls.He used pictures on his cell phone to help refresh the girl's memory. Then, she jumped onto his lap, saying "I love you, Daddy." Bryan buried his head on his little girl's shoulder and fought back tears. Credit: KREM 2 It's a testament to God's power of renewal. After Harmony was ripped from his life, Bryan fell apart. But two years later, by God's grace, she was back in his arms and Bryan was fully restored!
"I thank God every day that he kept me alive, because I really was almost dead," he said.Credit: KREM 2 It took a while for Harmony to get used to the idea that her daddy wasn't going anywhere. In fact, for a while she would even wait outside the door when Bryan would go to the bathroom. But now she's secure in the fact that her she and her dad reunited for good. Credit: Time To Put Kids First Bryan has full custody of Harmony, though she still talks to her mom once a week via Skype. Her mom has also been approved for supervised visits. Bryan is keeping a compassionate outlook, saying,
"I'm just really hoping mom and I can connect and put our differences aside for our daughter. That's what's most important. I don't want to focus on any of the negative aspects of the story at all it's not fair the one thing that matters in this whole story is the little girl this is her life."RELATED: A mother and daughter meet 82 years later in a reunion you'll never forget! During his ordeal, Bryan became connected with a non-profit called Time To Put Kids First. It's an organization that understands the importance of restoring the bond between a dad reunited with his daughter. And that's why they are sending Bryan and Harmony to Hawaii on what they call a Reunification Retreat.
"For two years she didn't have any memories with me so they decided it would be a nice idea to send us over to Hawaii for a retreat," Bryan explained. "It would be this huge memory that she would actually remember. Regardless of whatever happens in the future, she will always have this one memory with dad."Credit: Facebook / Bryan Thouvenel After all Bryan and Harmony have been through, time together is a blessing that means the world to the pair. It's a precious reward for the dad who never stopped searching, and never gave up hope that he'd see his daughter again!
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10
See the amazing way this single dad is helping other dads connect with their daughters!
h/t: Huffington PostToday's Devotional
A Prayer for Those Who Are Lonely or Isolated This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 23
This Christmas, remember how precious you are to the Creator. Remember that there is nothing you can do or say that would ever separate His presence and love from you. It’s okay to go through Christmas feeling alone and isolated, but make sure you turn to God to fill those feelings of loneliness.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Those Who Are Lonely or Isolated This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 23
This Christmas, remember how precious you are to the Creator. Remember that there is nothing you can do or say that would ever separate His presence and love from you. It’s okay to go through Christmas feeling alone and isolated, but make sure you turn to God to fill those feelings of loneliness.
Past Stories
- Husband Decorates His Neighbors' Homes For Wife Who Loves Christmas
- Couple Befriend Older Neighbor After Hearing Music Coming From His Apartment
- California Man Carpools With Adult Children On His Very Last Day of Work Before Retirement
- Family of Three Grows To Seven Overnight With Birth of Quadruplets
- The World's Oldest Dog Spike the Chihuahua Turns 25 Years Old
- Christmas Tree Planted Back in 1979 Inspires and Unites a Small English Village
- Dick Van Dyke Turns 99 After Evacuating From a Wildfire and Welcoming His Lost Cat Back Home
- Santa and Mrs.Claus Continue to Spread Christmas Magic Even With Santa's MS Diagnosis
- Little Girl Gets a Big Elf On the Shelf Surprise Honoring the Little Brother Who Passed Away
- Little Boy From England With Leukemia Delivers Over 400 Christmas Gifts To Kids At the Hospital
- Gold Star Family Receives a Big Surprise That Will Change Their Lives Forever
- 8-Year-Old With Down Syndrome Is a Hero After Saving Sister From House Fire
- Man Paralyzed At 17 While Snowboarding Has Found True Love and a Wonderful Life
- His Wife Passed Away, Now Their Special Tree is the 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
- Granddaughter Captures Last Words Between Grandparents, Married For 69 Years
- New York State Police Rescue Woman Needing a Heart Transplant Stranded in Snowstorm
- Born the Same Year the Titanic Sank, World's Oldest Man Dies at 112
- Family Receives Support From School and Community After Losing House in a Fire
- Soldier Reunites With His Military Dog Yyacob After Years Apart
- Chicago Man Discovers That The Owner Of The Bakery He Loved To Visit Was Actually His Mother
- Husband Pays For 40 Pet Adoptions At Shelter For His Wife's 40th Birthday
- Parents Find Healing After Loss of Son By Donating His Beloved Key Collection To Little Boy
- Mom Dances With Son At His Wedding After Being Placed in Hospice Care 2 Weeks Before
- Grandmother and Young Granddaughter Battling Cancer At the Exact Same Time
- Community Brings Christmas Joy to Virginia Woman With Just Weeks to Live
- Four Friends Recreate A Fun Vacation Photo From 50 Years Ago
- School in Arkansas Mourns the Loss of Their Beloved Emotional Support Dog Abby
- 93-Year-Old Has Made Sure To Attend Every High School Football Game Since 1946
- Texas Mom Doesn't Remember Delivering Triplets After Rare Complication After Birth
- United Airlines Pilot Buys Pizza For 155 Passengers After They Make An Unexpected Stop
- Teenager With Down Syndrome Enjoys Playing Kickball After Parents Organize Neighborhood Game
- Woman in Shock After Finding Winning Lottery Ticket At the Bottom of Her Purse
- Australian Couple Walks Into Their Bedroom To Find the Cutest Koala
- 5 Boys and Their Father Were Saved By Good Samaritan After Explosion
- Daughter of WWII Soldier Finally Learns What Happened To Him, 80 Years Later
- Sisters Scream With Joy Watching Their 4-Year-Old Sister Take Her First Steps
- Her Mom Put a Message in a Bottle As a Child, 26 Years Later Her Classmate Found It
- This Missouri School Was Renamed After Their Much Loved and Dedicated Custodian
- Michael Strahan's Daughter is Now Cancer Free and Has Taught Him All About Perseverance
- These Two Newlyweds Found Love in Their Late 90s, After Meeting At Their Retirement Home
- Sisters Who Were Adopted By Separate Families Nearly 40 Years Ago Reunite After DNA Tests
- Oldest Living Person in the US Passes Away at 115, After a Long and Faithful Life
- At Just 20 and 22 Years Old, These Two Sisters From Minnesota Saved Their Family Farm
- After Over 450 Days in a Shelter, Boone and Rellie Find Their Forever Home, Together
- Sweet Kitten Named Coraline Loses Both Her Eyes, but Inspires Many with Her Spirit
- Donny Osmond Sees the 'End of the Tunnel' Coming After Performing for Over 6 Decades
- An Iguana Hitches a Ride on a Garbage Truck in Tennessee, Now Trying to Find Its Owner
- 6-Year-Old Starts 'Poop Scooping' Business to Help Animals and Adopt One of His Own
- Bride's Dad Drops During Father-Daughter Dance, but Things Lined up Perfectly to Save His Life
- Young North Carolina Father Risked His Life To Save a Couple and Dog From a Sinking Truck
Top Music Videos
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Jeremy Camp Jeremy Camp 'Ready Now' Powerful Official Music Video
Riley Clemmons Riley Clemmons - All Is Well
Mark Schultz 'Different Kind of Christmas' - Live From Mark Schultz
CCM Magazine Brynn Elliot's Chilling 'Silent Night' Rendition
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.