After Leaving the Amish, He Spent a Decade Partying. Years Later, He Discovered He Has a 16-Year-Old Daughter

When Eli Yoder left his strict Amish order, he did away with all religious practices, breaking free of the traditionalism that defined his life for 18 years. He yearned to have control over his own life and live every day on his own terms.

He started drinking, hanging out at bars and clubs and partying in ways the Amish lifestyle would never allow. “I was on the wild side for 19 years,” Yoder, now 45, tells PEOPLE. He had multiple partners during that time in his life, but it would be years until his actions caught up with him.