Des Moines Father Reunites With Daughter After 10 Years Apart With Help From Evelyn K. Davis Center

A Des Moines father is celebrating a life-changing reunion with his daughter after a decade apart, and he says the Evelyn K. Davis Center helped him rebuild his life and reconnect with his family.

Christopher Evans said the last time he saw his daughter, Kaitlynn, she was just 13 years old.

“I haven’t seen my daughter for 10 years. She was 13 the last time I seen her,” Evans said.

Evans said he had custody of Kaitlynn when a family health crisis changed their circumstances. Over the years, he focused on working and providing for his daughter, but distance and personal struggles eventually caused them to lose contact.

“I wanted to work. I wanted to be a better father. I wanted to be a better man, and we just lost track,” Evans said.

Eventually, Evans faced difficult times, including losing his home and experiencing homelessness. In 2019, he connected with the Evelyn K. Davis Center in Des Moines, an organization that provides education, employment assistance, financial education, and other support services.

“They opened the doors to me in 2019 when I was sent here to Des Moines, Iowa, to start a better life, to find work,” Evans said.

Staff members at the center say their mission goes beyond helping people find jobs.

“What we do here is above and beyond service,” said Eric Idehan, manager of the Evelyn K. Davis Center. “We’re not just providing programs to people. We’re trying to add value to people’s lives.”

Evans said learning computer skills through the center played an important role in changing his future. Those skills eventually helped him reconnect with his daughter through social media.

A photo of Evans and Kaitlynn from years earlier was still displayed on his Facebook page. That photo helped Kaitlynn find him and reach out.

“She says, ‘Dad, this is Kaitlynn. Your daughter.’ Wow!” Evans recalled.

The two began rebuilding their relationship through phone calls and messages before finally meeting in person earlier this month for the first time in 10 years.

Evans traveled from Des Moines to Nebraska to reunite with his daughter, who is now an adult.

“She has her own place. She’s been through so much, and she did it without me,” Evans said.

Kaitlynn told KCCI that the reunion was emotional.

“I missed him for so long. The whole situation felt like a dream. I just wish I could see him more,” she said.

Although they still live in different states, Evans said their bond has been restored and he credits the Evelyn K. Davis Center with helping him reach that moment.

“This is my family,” Evans said. “I didn’t have no other family in my life except for Evelyn K. Davis for six years until my daughter found me.”

For Evans, the reunion represents more than reconnecting with his daughter — it marks a new chapter built on hope, support, and a second chance.