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WWII vet finds out about 66-year-old daughter he never knew

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A World War II veteran got the surprise of his life when he learned he has a daughter.

Ross Walker, 88, can't stop smiling at the smile that is much like his own.

"She resembles me in the eyes and mouth," he said.

Walker is a Charlotte native who served in Europe in World War II, from 1944 to 1946.

Two weeks ago, he received some pictures in the mail, with a note.

"I hope this letter finds you in good health. Your daughter and myself hope to receive a reply," Walker read from the letter.

Walker says he dated a woman named Maria while he was serving in Germany. They broke up a few months before she gave birth. He never knew he had a daughter, until now.

But Alvira, now 66 years old, knew about him. Her mother kept his picture with his name written on the arm.

With some help from a volunteer from GITrace, a group that links World War II children with their fathers, she found hers.

"All these years, and she's still thinking about me," said Walker. Now, Walker can't stop thinking about her.

"I think about her all night and all day," he said.

He wrote her back and plans to soon speak with her on the phone. Walker hopes he can meet his daughter and get answers to all the questions the letter and pictures have raised.

"Does she love me as much as a love her? Because I love her deeply even though I've never seen her before," he said.