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George John Dryden, Canada's 'Diefenbaby', dies at 47 | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
George John Dryden, a Canadian man who sought for years to prove that he was the son of former Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker has died. | George John Dryden, a Canadian man who sought for years to prove that he was the son of former Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker has died. |
Dubbed 'Diefenbaby' by the press, Dryden, 47, died of complications from a suicide attempt, a close friend said. | |
He had been suffering from a terminal pancreatic disease. | He had been suffering from a terminal pancreatic disease. |
There was a striking resemblance between Dryden and Diefenbaker, whose relatives maintained that the twice-married ex-PM was childless. | There was a striking resemblance between Dryden and Diefenbaker, whose relatives maintained that the twice-married ex-PM was childless. |
Diefenbaker served as prime minister of Canada from 1957 to 1963 and died in 1979. | Diefenbaker served as prime minister of Canada from 1957 to 1963 and died in 1979. |
Dryden's mother, Mary Lou, was a close friend of Diefenbaker. | Dryden's mother, Mary Lou, was a close friend of Diefenbaker. |
About five years ago, Dryden discovered that the man who raised him, Gordon Dryden, was not his biological father. | About five years ago, Dryden discovered that the man who raised him, Gordon Dryden, was not his biological father. |
"I went for 42 years thinking I was a Dryden, and I just found out…that I'm not," George Dryden said at the time. | "I went for 42 years thinking I was a Dryden, and I just found out…that I'm not," George Dryden said at the time. |
DNA tests confirmed that George Dryden was not Gordon Dryden's son, but George Dryden could not conclusively prove that Diefenbaker was his father. | DNA tests confirmed that George Dryden was not Gordon Dryden's son, but George Dryden could not conclusively prove that Diefenbaker was his father. |
"He was searching most of his life for his identity," Merry-Ellen Unan, a close friend of Dryden, told the Canadian press. "He truly didn't know who he was." | "He was searching most of his life for his identity," Merry-Ellen Unan, a close friend of Dryden, told the Canadian press. "He truly didn't know who he was." |
The effort to prove his parentage led George Dryden to become estranged from the family who raised him. | The effort to prove his parentage led George Dryden to become estranged from the family who raised him. |
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