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Screamin' Jay's Illegitimate Family Reunion

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He had three children with his first wife, and was certain that he had fathered more than 50 other children with girlfriends and groupies, some of whom he had met. At some point, he estimated that there might be 75 Hawkins love children out there.

An old man's boasting might not have a lot to do with reality. But in the weeks after Hawkins' death, Nigolian started the Jayskids.com Web site, and now believes she has identified 33 of the so-called Hawkins 57.

"It wasn't like an FBI investigation — no DNA tests," Nigolian says. "But I ask for documents. The locations, dates of births and stories check out. There is, also, a family resemblance."

Shock-Rock Granddaddy

Hawkins, who had a tradition of beginning shows by jumping out of a flaming coffin, might rightfully be dubbed the granddaddy of shock rock. Indeed, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss and Marilyn Manson have pulled rubber snakes and fake tarantulas out of Hawkins' bag of voodoo tricks.

With a dad like that, the kids might not be your typical suburbanites. But you never can tell.

"Two of the kids are in bands, one in Washington, the other in Calgary, and they have acts that would make their papa proud," says Nigolian.

But for many of the supposed children, the event at the Hard Rock Café is the closest they've come to a stage.

"It's a little scary meeting a whole new family for the first time. But I'm really excited about it. I can't wait," says Melissa Ahuna, a 31-year-old hula dancer, hotel store manager and nurse.

Hawkins had a high school yearbook photo of Ahuna in his Paris home at the time of his death. But father and daughter lost contact in 1993.

"He had been a presence in my life," Ahuna says. "He'd call every few weeks when I was in high school. And he was proud of me. We always got along well."

Ahuna is part Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese and black. "When this reunion comes off, it will be the first chance I've had to get in touch with my black roots," she says.

She had a younger brother, another Hawkins kid, who was put up for adoption, and she hopes this reunion will help them find each other.

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