Reunion Success Stories

Hope and Jerrald

"It has been a year now since Jerrald and I found each other. We both used the Reunion Registry since we were both given for adoption when we were born. We talked at first and then met in person. We discovered our paths have not been too far off over the years. I am thrilled he only lives 2 hours away. When I see Jerrald, I am overcome with joy and I just run to him and embrace him. When he gives me that big bear hug, lifts me off the ground, and plants that kiss on my cheek, I feel like a giddy little sister. And especially since we had to work our way in to getting to know each other, I cherish our relationship all the more. We share a lot in common because of our circumstances of being adopted and being raised by adoptive parents. It is different and I did not know it was different until I met my birth family. I guess that is why we embrace each other the way we do . . . we both had always hoped there was someone out there we were related to and we finally found each other. It is a gift every time I see him. I love that we are able to share that together and I love him. Truly blessed and I thank you!"

Top: New Family Reunion Day 1
Middle : Jerrald's first visit to Atlanta
Bottom: Hope and Jerrald.

Mike

"Hello, my name is Mike and I am an adoptee. If you found this website you’re in the right place. I searched from the age of 21 (legal search age of the time) till I was 33 years old, with all the wrong people, that is, dishonest and incompetent people that preyed on people like you and I. After being connected with the Families First organization, everything changed for me. Not only did Families First make the connection for me, they have a support group once a month, for continued support after the reunion, which I still go to 6 years after our reunion. I can’t say how your search may turn out, but I will say this… not only did I find my birth mother I also found the x-factor of something I had never thought of…siblings and a 91 year old biological grandfather and so many cousins, uncles and aunts that I lost count. I have enclosed a couple of pictures of my great story to inspire you on your journey of hope and commitment to yourself.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this and would love to speak with you at one of the group meetings!

Good luck,"
Mike

Picture on the top: Andrea, Mike (me), Emily, Christin and Delilah.
On the couch picture / Left to right: Mike, Christin, Andrea, Emily, Delilah, Grandpa Larry, and my birth mother, Janice; lying across all of us.
Picture of two men: Grandpa Larry and Mike.

Hope and Bryan

"There is such a plethora of emotions that I have experienced over the past few months, I truly am not the same person, but better. I feel connected. To discover I do have half siblings after all these years of wondering is amazing and has left us all grateful for finding each other now.
My brother and I bonded pretty quickly through phone calls and finally meeting. We live only a 3 short hours away from each other and have managed to see and visit with each other 3 times in the past 3 months. We even had a weekend with both our families on vacation together. I felt like I was in a dream the whole time and spent most of my time just watching all of the activity and trying to soak in all my eyes could hold.
Finding my brother went beyond my own dreams. Now I am living out that dream. I had always wanted to know if I had any siblings that looked like me on the outside . . .now that I know him, I feel like I found someone that looks like me on the inside too! Blessed indeed!"

— Hope on her reunion with Bryan

Kirk’s Story

"This photo was taken during my first visit with my sister Jennifer. I grew up as an only child and never felt like I looked like either of my parents.  Being with Jennifer was the first time I've ever been in the presence of someone I have a biological connection with… It was amazing!"

Kathy and Claire

"This picture (top) was taken on the first day that Claire and I met which was 2/2/08. It was 17 days after we first talked to each other on the phone and 24 days from the day I knew she was ok and alive! I had waited 38 years to see her again and I was convinced for all that time that it was never going to happen. But thanks to the Georgia Adoption Reunion Registry we were able to find each other. And, now, it is almost 2 years later and my daughter and I are still communicating every day.

"The (bottom) picture was taken at Stone Mountain over a year later. Claire and I have developed a strong bond and a relationship built on trust and love. I cannot begin to express the absolute joy that I feel to be able to have my child back in my life – to once again have that which I had thought was lost and gone forever. It has been a journey that has taken a lot of time and effort, healing and emotion, but, oh, the wonderful rewards that are achieved! I now know when she broke her arm, when she lived where, and that she thought about me all those years and always wanted to find me. I have a wonderful loving relationship with her children and I have met her friends. I even have the Christmas tree ornament that she made in kindergarten and it goes on my Christmas tree along with the ornaments that my other daughters made as kids. Claire and I have talked about everything that happened concerning her birth, and we have both healed our wounds and are now at peace with the past. Reunion has been a beautiful, beautiful thing; and, hopefully, we will have many years together in our future."

— Kathy, natural mom to Claire

Gisela and Katherine

"After 30 years of searching, my birthmother found me when I needed her most. My adoptive mother had just passed and disowned me. Just when I thought all of my family had turned their backs on me, my real mother found me and she brought a large family with her. To find out that there were all these people that loved me when the didn’t even know me was just what I needed."

Deborah’s Story

"This picture was taken the week that we all first met each other. May 2009. After 52 years of not knowing that I had any family, to find out that my mother had 18 children was an eyeopener for me. Of those 18 on 11 are still alive. I have met all of them except 3. I have talked with all of them except 2. I was too late to meet my parents, both of them had passed away before I found anyone. But Louise, my oldest sister has told me a lot of stories about both parents and all of us siblings while we were growing up and even after Shirley, Earl, Leroy, Gerry and myself were sold on the black market and given to out adoptive parents. Before I found the first of my siblings who was Kay, it was like a big hole in my heart. My adoptive parents and brothers were all passed away, so I didn’t feel like there was anyone on my side of the family left. It started me wanting to know more about myself. I am so glad that I went thru the adoption agency to find my family. Without their help, and God’s, none of this would have been possible. I was so glad on the day and we all felt the closeness to each other. We had so much in common with all of our likes and dislikes, it was scary. I will never forget this week we spent together getting to know each other."

Top Picture - back: Louise and Shirley - front: Deborah, Gerry, and Kay

CarolAnne’s Story

"The excitement on my face expresses the joy in my heart at being reunited with my half brother, Tommy. It was like looking into a mirror! We both spent a lifetime seperately as “only childen” and now we had two glorious days of bonding with him and my six children,their spouses,and eighteen grandchildren! When he left California for Georgia everyone loved him as much as I did, and we can hardly wait to meet his children and my extended birth family! Finding out at age 65 yrs. that I was adopted was such a shock and sent me on a roller coaster ride that ended up becoming one of the greatest blessings in my life!"