Who Am I Really?

Paul grew up in a family where he didn’t look like his parents, his father was Mexican and his mother was Japanese. In his childhood, his mother turned incredibly harsh and abusive, especially toward his sister. Searching for his birth mother, Paul made a misstep when he didn’t follow the advice of his search angel, and it cost him a valued relationship. Luckily he was able to connect with his half-siblings on both sides, but one relationship ended abruptly when a spouse fired his gun at Paul! All told, Paul found links to his personal history, and that’s given him the identity he was seeking. Read Full TranscriptPaul:                            https://www.temi.com/editor/t/kqWCiH8F_kXkW4s9mBXI5hm8DBVAPf9g--ONxOi6fzgZ7iRkNcuXhMJwc_wdMUkJ34K6Pkwv8-lJO4yVcvkPoAaWhpQ?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=2.03 (00:02)&nb

  Megan grew up in an affluent suburb of Chicago and was comfortable with her adoption, but curious about her start in life. After pregnancy, “I struggled with mental health problems and became addicted to narcotics and anti-anxiety meds.” When she met her maternal relatives, things went well until her aunt shunned her for her addiction recovery. On her paternal side, that same news, being in recovery, was met with acceptance, because we all have our challenges. More than anything, Megan is thankful to finally have a sister, and it’s someone listeners already know. (http://www.whoamireallypodcast.com/071-i-would-give-anything-to-hear-his-voice/) Read Full TranscriptMegan:                        https://www.temi.com/editor/t/-eyfsyoEzJftmV5oq7Q7Y_HAXFV7ReXqF38W8AT7LmTUx568IL0Qv78WkT5LdNRlSwbc1DvosQRG71ajs9pFYLIeSmk?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=3.55 (00:03)&nb

Amanda describes her childhood with a father she considered to be a hero and a mother whom she loves despite her physical and mental abuse while showing favoritism toward her sister. She always wanted to search for her birth parents, scouring her house for information about herself when she was a kid. Unable to endure the abuse against herself and her brother Amanda called social services, after which she was disowned. When she finally obtained her adoption records she found one birth parent was deceased, and the other didn’t want contact yet. Read Full TranscriptAmanda:                      https://www.temi.com/editor/t/IRGJyNHhZZ-HJe2cZGIaBhw4e-slB9clARrNi2YnhjDsxFJboTis30siPbDjEotqxP67TA4jxIGXsRM6A5S3znZ0xmQ?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=2.26 (00:02)               I want him to contact me whe

Kyle tells the story of growing up, towering over his mother and sister and looking very different from them, but being loved. Locating his birth mother he was amazed to see someone he looked like but struggled to get along with as she battled her own pain. In the end, he was able to truly connect to his Native American heritage while discovering the pain that was deep within him. His experience inspired him to write two songs. Read Full Transcript Kyle:                            https://www.temi.com/editor/t/jXFXcrZaEH2w5vIyyK6eNbcXgFIM7d2QGnC8QTrDcJgzfHS2UAr9EuSqQ40aKSbsQcefDlTSOrTFlDkbWq63gfscBTY?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=3.15 (00:03)               And that’s the thing is she’s a great person. It was just very hard towards the end to have the relationship be

Daniela was born in a small mining town in Chile. Adopted by a German family who moved from South America to Miami, she never felt like she belonged. While struggling as a teenager and burning to know more about her own heritage she was psychoanalyzed and medicated by doctors, and she wanted to end it all. When she found her maternal sisters online their reunion in Chile was lovely. Later when Daniela’s paternal sisters found her online, the maternal family said they never wanted to hear from her again. Daniela’s reunion with her paternal family has helped her get in touch with her roots and feel whole for the first time in her life.   Read Full TranscriptDaniela:                       https://www.temi.com/editor/t/RRbcGb20W_9itOY_Vs6f3vX2I2nhim4fGydOcalLuQBC7BiD0CUlJ1T8eWDC3y8gKtQR4sxdcizJN2r8_qQfAqgzCb8?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=2.59 (00:02)   &nbs

Kendra’s story is filled with peaks and valleys of emotion. After running far, far away in her teens, Kendra’s adopted mother blamed her for her adopted father’s demise. She and her mother were estranged for years until her adopted mother’s mortality changed their relationship. In reunion, her birth mother accepted her return but kept Kendra a secret. Decades later she had an amazing reunion with her siblings, only to find things were turning upside down at home. Read Full TranscriptKendra:                       00:05               I think that’s why I never really talked about my childhood with my kids. I just thought I’m just going to lock it up, you know, weld it behind this gate and it’s never. It can’t hurt if I don’t talk about it and that was a colossal parenting mistake. I do not recommend

Kandi grew up in a loving Christian home, an adoptee with one older sister who was biologically related to their parents. Kandi found her biological mother living in Gulf Port, Mississippi where she was lucky to spend time with the woman before losing her a few months later. Today, Kandi’s family reflects the structure of her own childhood—-she has 6 biological children, and one adopted daughter, who is actually her biological niece. The post 052 – Little Who? appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Kandi (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/9xfYamO-8CQmDKsgAVwYJiSsHvPQIM5qkWl2SyXL0jVOuKdIDFmp0bjieFCB2gpQZasllBL185p34hv7cTmm5-IQQzI?loadFrom=SharedLink&ts=3.69 (00:03)): I've never faulted her for putting me up for adoption. Like I always kind of rationalized that it was because she was too young and that's just kinda how I imagined it. You know, there was some circumstance that she loves me, but she wasn't in a position to raise me. And so I just, that's just kinda what I lived on. I never felt like I wasn

Kennon was raised by in the lumber town of Mattawa, Canada, where he was one of the only people of color in the community. Growing up in a predominantly white community, he later had trouble assimilating into the black and Jamaican communities when he moved to Toronto. Struggling to find himself, Kennon journeyed to the land of his roots, Jamaica, discovered Rastafarianism, and ultimately found the love and acceptance he missed his entire life. The post 050 – Dem Smell De Blood, They Know Who You Are appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Kennon: (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/pPWZfkUaOhJamoQpBvB3UZukNfFEyFz9BC3lcwPi25SPKVf4FiIzuHnI4y9SshrE_ePwtSCcw249AzwM_cL_3JzQX4I?loadFrom=PastedDeeplink&ts=5.24 (00:05)) She just said, like, I'm so sorry for everything that happened to you. If I knew that just I would have gone to Canada, myself to bring you back to Jamaica, to make sure that you grew up around your people. You know, Damon: (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/pPWZfkUaOhJamoQpBvB3UZukNfFEyFz9BC3lcwPi

Sherie said she sometimes thought about searching for her birth family, but even talking about it with her husband made her cry. She finally gathered the strength to search after voraciously reading “The Girls That Went Away”. It dramatically changed her perspective about her own adoption and the possibilities for what her birth mother might have endured. Unfortunately, when Sheri’s court-appointed investigator found her birth mother the woman wasn’t ready to reunite…yet. It took time for Sheri’s birth mother to overcome a family loss and regain her strength to face Sheri. Thankfully, Sheri was patient along the way, making sure that building trust with her birth family was the foremost goal in her reunion. The post 049 – It’s Just More People To Love Me appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Support this podcast

When Kaitlin was nine years old she was ready to lobby for access to her original birth certificate. She attempted a reunion with her birth mother, who left clues that she wanted to be found. But when she was located she was surprised. Kaitlin’s excitement over finding her family led her to a misstep that soured the relationship with her birth mother. Luckily, things went much better for Kaitlin and her birth father, who just happened to be in town when she called! The post 048 – It’s Not Always The Fairy Tale You Hoped For appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Support this podcast

When Anna was born, her adoption resulted in Anna and her mother living as siblings. Very early in her life she lost her birth mother and her adopted mother, so she was on her own. Anna shares how she survived those tragic losses, physical abuse by her stepmother, and a life few parental figures. Since she never had male figure in her life, Anna struggles with how best be a daughter in reunion. But her paternal family always pulls her back in when she starts to drift away.  The post 047 – I Was In Charge Of My Destiny appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Support this podcast

Michael says he always knew he was adopted and spoke openly about it with anyone who expressed curiosity. However, when he launched his search, he didn’t feel like he could share those details openly with his adopted mother. When he found his birth mother, she told Michael she always knew he would find her. To continue his search for his birth father, she encouraged Michael to connect with his half-brother by another woman but forewarned Michael that his birth father didn’t know of his existence. But it turned out there was a lot more Michael’s father didn’t know… about himself. The post 045 – This Child Will Find Me appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Michael (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/6YL0mWuQ0MlZtoeXdSRZwb_wXnP5DerVD3ASf99_S1khO-bR28fxCK2cGwOCC651Kuk3GTRsSV1ytIAEhNlLjeevF4Q?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=5.28 (00:05)): She said before her mother passed away, she was saying, you should really find your, your, your sons. And I think she might've been looking on her own before she di

Paige didn’t even know that searching for her birth family was an option until she learned about it on local tv as an adult. The topic of adoption was closed her whole life, partially because of how her parents understood and portrayed her closed adoption to her. Fortunately, Ohio law allowed her to access her original birth certificate (OBC). Receiving personal information about herself ignited a passion to learn more and set her off on a voyage of discovery. Paige was lucky to find her birth father’s name in the papers, a which doesn’t always happen for adoptees in that era. She connected with him one time, then he vanished. When he resurfaced, Paige was able to complete her journey because he had finally decided to be honest with his family about his past. The post 043 – When I Looked At Him, I Could See Things About Me appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Paige (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/wNnu30Ooaa7PbBDVHJbopIN9yxzq0qvwAf-q_lko_y5xpLvzpkBkuajPZmHO4u72Eg

Right before Sharon left for college, her parents sat her down to say she was of age to start looking for her birthparents. She had never contemplated that possibility before, so it took years for her to act on her desire to learn more about herself. In the late 1980s, she went through Catholic Charities to help retrace the path back to her biological family. But her assigned intermediary maintained tight control over the family’s communications, stifling their connection. For five years Sharon and her birth mother communicated laboriously through their intermediary before her mother closed the door. After years of silence in her reunion attempt, Sharon decided to try just one more time to break through her birth mother’s resistance, and she was glad she did. Her birth mother apologized for everything she had put Sharon through. The post 042 – This Little Voice Said, “You Gotta Do Something” appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Sharon (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/KeipXaaGOOiWjkF

Jennifer was perfectly comfortable with her adoption until her teen years when her self-awareness was heightened, and her desire to learn more about who she is bloomed. Protecting her parents feelings, she pushed away her desire to search for decades until one day her curiosity exploded again. In the end, her residual drive from her experience as a detective on the Chicago police force helped her to keep asking questions and pressing on with her search. Jennifer shares her warm feelings from knowing her birth mother always talked about her and her birth father’s family welcomed her w/ the same love they felt for her father. The post 040 – I Mattered Throughout The Years appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Support this podcast

Jennifer was perfectly comfortable with her adoption until her teen years when her self-awareness was heightened, and her desire to learn more about who she is bloomed. Protecting her parents feelings, she pushed away her desire to search for decades until one day her curiosity exploded again. In the end, her residual drive from her experience as a detective on the Chicago police force helped her to keep asking questions and pressing on with her search. Jennifer shares her warm feelings from knowing her birth mother always talked about her and her birth father’s family welcomed her w/ the same love they felt for her father. The post 040 – I Mattered Throughout The Years appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Jennifer (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/LN9nTLDOPY6IF6t7mSQ6nJfb0WXczWM1OtXboactds425GhKvVqwdEDhuVKPcaggG3fLrhENHl1VlakU9aRbgdOafv0?loadFrom=DocumentDeeplink&ts=5.35 (00:05)): She says, you know, when your mom would talk about you and say she had this baby in 64, you know, w

This summer when I met Bill and found out he was a genealogist, I was excited to hear everything he had to say. I wanted to hear more about his own personal history, how he got into genealogy, and the clients he’s helped. My birth mother was also a genealogist, but I never got to learn about her work before she passed away. I was really lucky to find Bill who also ended up being one of my genealogists! The post 038 – Interview w/ One Of My Two Genealogists appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Support this podcast

Lee, my search & reunion social worker in Baltimore, MD, unlocked many of the answers about why I was placed for adoption. She worked to locate my biological mother, Ann, and read my birth mother’s introductory letter to me over the phone. For National Adoption Awareness Month I interviewed Lee about her passion for searches and reunions, her personal connection to adoption, stories from her decades of experience supporting children and families in Baltimore. The post 037 – Interview w/ A Search & Reunion Social Worker appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast. Support this podcast

November is National Adoption Awareness Month, so I’m bringing you a different perspective from the adoption community. On prior episodes you’ve heard adoptees talk about the amazing work that they’re search angels have done with them. Today I’m introducing you to one of those search Angels. You’ve already heard about her work in my interview with Stephanie (in episode 29) where she lauded the work of her amazing spouse AND Search Angel, Diana. Diana has always been into family history and exploring genealogy, so when Stephanie’s search for her birth relatives began Diana was all in. Diana shares the processes she goes through to assist adoptees in their searches, some lessons she’s learned over years of searching, and why her volunteer work to help others is meaningful to her. The post http://www.whoamireallypodcast.com/035-interview-w-search-angel-every-answer-get-questions/ (035 – Interview w/ A Search Angel – For Every Answer You Get, There Are More Questions) appeared first on http://

Today I’m bringing you something a little different for #NationalAdoptionMonth. There are a lot of people, processes, and policies integral to the adoption of a child, raising a child, and supporting that person’s desire to search for their birth family. I’m bringing you a few stories from across the adoption continuum. The first is that of the Gift Of Adoption Fund (https://giftofadoption.org/donate/), a volunteer-driven non-profit organization that raises funds to provide adoption assistance grants to complete the adoption of vulnerable children. Gift of Adoption’s CEO Pam Devereux shares a little of her own story of being personally driven to helping others, the mission of the organization, and how she hopes many more of us will consider donating to charities that support adoption because, ultimately, the welfare of all children is on all of us. The post http://www.whoamireallypodcast.com/032-gift-adoption/ (032 – Intervew With The Gift Of Adoption Fund) appeared first on http://www.whoamireallypodcas