Dad moves to NZ after shock find

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FAMILY MATTERS: Fernando Carnerero moved to New Zealand when he found out via Facebook that he had a son, Brad Carnerero-Williams.

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When Spaniard Fernando Carnerero found his Kiwi ex-girlfriend on Facebook this year he was unsure what to expect.

He certainly could not have imagined he would be told he had a son in New Zealand.

Carnerero, 33, who is from Malaga, had not spoken to Aroha Williams-Pascoe, 31, since going home after a short stint as an exchange student in Christchurch when he was 18.

After stumbling across Williams-Pascoe on Facebook he was told he had a son, Brad Carnerero-Williams, 14. Carnerero almost immediately left Spain to be near his boy and now lives in Shirley.

Carnerero enjoyed his earlier stay in Christchurch and had not wanted to leave.

The return to Spain meant Carnerero and Williams-Pascoe did not speak for nearly 15 years.

"It was too far away. Telephone was very expensive in Spain and we didn't have internet so we couldn't have a proper relationship 25,000 kilometres away. We lost contact," he said.

Williams-Pascoe, 31, who lives in Motueka with her son and partner, realised a month after Carnerero left that she was pregnant. She had been looking for Carnerero since.

"I've been looking for him for the past 15 years."

The pair did not speak until February this year when Carnerero stumbled across her on Facebook.

Williams-Pascoe wanted to break the news that he had a son, but was not sure how to when they spoke online, he said.

"Three days later she told me. I was so shocked I couldn't sleep or eat. I was absolutely shocked. I decided to leave all I had in Spain, business, cars, houses. I left it all to come to be as close as possible to my son."

He arrived in New Zealand in March and met Brad a week later in Kaiapoi.

Carnerero, who has a master's degree and is an economist, said he was finding it hard to secure a work visa to remain in Christchurch.

"I only want a temporary work permit to start a life here and to stay close to my son and provide him what he needs."

Williams-Pascoe said it was "very difficult" to tell Carnerero about his son. "We'd been speaking for two days. It was very emotional. But I'm very happy.

"I'm really happy for him because he's such a lovely man."

Brad was anxious about meeting his dad.

"I was nervous at first, but then I got used to it," Brad said. "We get on pretty good."

- © Fairfax NZ News