My mother was pregnant with my half-brother Josh in 1983. She was in jail at the time, and getting ready to serve a long sentence. I was raised by my grandparents. They wanted Josh too, but she was spiteful and chose to give him up for adoption instead. I'll never forget when he was born, in the same month as my birthday.

I remember going to the hospital and standing on my tiptoes to watch him through the nursery window. My grandparents explained that he was going to go live with another family for a while, something that made no sense to me. My grandpa got me a cabbage patch doll and I named him Josh and carried him around all the time. Growing up I always knew I had a brother. My grandparents were always honest with me for the most part. My mom got out 6-8 years after Josh was born but we never had a good relationship. Like many teenagers, I got in a bunch of trouble in my teens. When I got a little older, like in 2000, I realized part of my problem was confusion and frustration over not knowing my brother, so I decided to find him.

I used a search company that looked reputable on the surface. I spent a bunch of money but the search went nowhere, like a dead end road. I was angry and felt cheated, and swore I'd never be taken advantage of again. Finding Josh stayed on my mind, but the records are sealed. My mom would never help me, or she was so messed up on drugs that she wasn't able to. The situation seemed hopeless.

Then about a year ago I watched Troy the Locator and it was real emotional for me. The stories hit home. My wife told me, "Why don't you write them?" I said "I'm not a person who wants to air my problems on TV," But her suggestion stayed with me, so I decided write in. The show got cancelled, but within a few weeks I was contacted by Linda at Search Quest America. She told me all about the services and I feel bad about it now, but I was real skeptical at first. I was rude and demanded to talk to Linda's boss, and squabbled a lot about the wording in the contract. I really ran them through the mill, worrying about the money transaction and stuff. It's just after being scammed by that other company and going through that heartache I needed to be careful.

Again, my wife pushed me down the right path. She said, "John I feel this is true. This is good. You should do it." I took her advice, sent in the money and the contract, and sure enough, within 24 hours my case was solved.

Right away, Susan gave me Josh's full name. I went on Facebook, and found a man by the right name and friended him. Susan said 9 times out of 10 the sibling will be in the same city as you are. So I found Josh on Facebook and friended him even though he looked nothing like me. He accepted me, so I went in and looked at his pictures. I saw a picture of his oldest daughter, who is the spitting image of my daughter. He's tall and skinny, I'm not. But if you look at our daughters there's no denying we're related.

Next, I sent him an email on Facebook. Basically I said hey my name's Jimmy. I'm 35 and I'm looking for my half-brother named Josh, born on this date at this hospital.... I basically said hey I'm not looking for anything, I have a good job and great family. I just want to find my brother and let him know I'm here if he needs me. I sent the message.

Nothing happened for another 24 hours. I waited on Facebook till I saw the little green dot showing he was online. I tried to be casual. I just said "hey Josh did you get that email?" he said "no man, what did it say?" I copied and pasted the message and sent it through instant message.

"Dude, I'm it" was all he said.
"What do you mean you're it?" I asked.
"Call me!" So I did.

We had an instant connection. Josh has been in the army for ten years, has a family and a wife. I called him at about 10 o'clock our time, 1 am their time. We literally talked for 4 hours. I was real emotional because I had been searching for him. I was up, down, crying, happy sad, just everything. He explained to me "I knew I was adopted. My parents were wonderful. My mom is a teacher. My dad is a carpenter.
They are good people who did lots of community service throughout their
life. I was raised well." I was so happy to hear he'd had a good life.

One thing that shocked me about his story is that he grew up right here in Modesto. He lived within a quarter mile of the high school I went to. His neighborhood was only 5-6 miles away from mine, and we know several of the same people. He's cousins with a family I used to always go camping with. It's just crazy we never crossed paths. After high school he served in the army and went overseas. He's a real hero. It was almost too good to be true.

I was really apprehensive. I kept saying "are you SURE you're the right person?" He kept reassuring me and he had all the same information I had, birth date, etc. I was totally honest with him about everything, especially about our family. I didn't want to sugarcoat anything and then down the line have him feel mislead. I wanted to reassure him that he was wanted by his grandparents, and it was our mother who was vindictive and prevented him from staying with us.

We still haven't met face to face. He's in North Carolina, I'm in California. My Christmas present was that we got to Skype each other for the first time. It's been a roller coaster. He was going to come back to California this week, but unfortunately he got his papers to go back to Afghanistan. He's got to be on call till they decide what they're going to do. It also turns out his family always knew where I was growing up and kind of steered Josh away from me to protect him from my mother. On the one hand it really hurts to know we could have always known each other. On the other hand I'm glad he had a family that loved him enough to protect him. At this point we're just trying to look forward. So far so good! We talk every couple weeks and things are going great.

My advice to others is to always be honest about who you are and who your family is. I don't think it's fair to paint your family one way and then have them find out the dark secrets down the line. You could lose them a second time. For me it worked out great to just be honest up front about everything.

Also, don't give up! If you don't succeed right now, don't give up. Always keep them in your mind and if you love them, don't give up. Also make sure you are proactive and work with your researcher. And finally, go with Search Quest America! Like I said, I worked with other companies who ripped me off, but SQA was an honest, conscientious company and they really took care of me. Ask around and do your research and stay away from companies who thrive off your emotions.

Over all I'm just so grateful to have found Josh and know he's happy and healthy and had a good life. I'm willing to give him all the time he needs to warm up to us, and over all the future is looking real good for us. Thanks so much to Linda, Susan, and everyone else at SQA who make this all possible. You guys rock!

(Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Jimmie, a SQA Client.)



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My birth mother's name was Melinda Catelano. Doesn't she just sound beautiful? That's the first thing I thought when I learned her name for the first time. She was in her thirties and working as a secretary for my birth father. He was married and I was conceived through an extra-marital affair. My birth certificate says Melinda was living at home with her mother. It was 1958 and I was born at St. Elizabeth's hospital in San Francisco, California. I was placed for adoption through a prominent adoption agency in the area.

I had a wonderful upbringing and love my family very much. However I began developing health problems as a young adult, and first contacted the adoption agency to inquire about my birth family when I was 20 and in college. I was told all the information was sealed and they could not help me. I returned a dozen times over the years, and always got the same answer. I've never been a quitter, so I quietly started gathering information from my adoption records and other public records. I learned that my birthmother was actually from Omaha, Nebraska, and only came to California to give birth.

That led me to believe she would have gone back to Nebraska following my birth. I also learned that she had several siblings, and I began searching for families with the right last name and number of siblings in Nebraska. I started with public census records, but it was an overwhelming task and I soon grew disheartened. Years have passed. I'm now in my fifties and feel no closer to solving this case than when I was twenty years old. Each time I contact the adoption agency, I get the same line about how the records are sealed to protect my birth mother's privacy and I should just leave it alone. Yet I know the clock is ticking and if my birth mother is still alive, time is absolutely of the essence.

That's why I decided to get help from SQA. My experience working with them has been extremely positive. My case was officially started in May of 2010, and it was solved in June of the same year. My researcher kept me apprised of each stage of the search. She was also very understanding and gentle when she called to tell me that my birth mother passed away several years ago, but she had the contact information for my birth mother's two brothers and two sisters, who were excited to meet me and get to know me.

The joy of our reunion was tempered by devastating news, however. My niece Elizabeth had actually filed a consent for relinquishment form with the adoption agency. The purpose of this release was for the adoption agency to give me my birth mother's information in the event that I called to request it. I am devastated that although I visited and called the adoption agency dozens of times over the years, no one released the information to me. Had they done so, I would have been able to meet my birth mother in person rather than simply hearing stories about her second hand.

I know there are hundreds of adoptees out there who would be grateful for the opportunity to meet their birth family. However, I am filled with sorrow at the opportunity lost, and anger at the adoption agency who stood in my way and prevented me from meeting my birth mother. I'm angry that we live in a world where as an adoptee, I do not have the right to full disclosure to know where I come from, especially since this information can impact me so greatly on and emotional, spiritual, and physical level. Now that I have been reunited with my birth family, I've obtained priceless medical records that may be the missing puzzle piece that helps my doctors determine the cause of the medical issues I'm having. I only wish my story had a happier ending and I had been able to meet my birth mother just once. I would have wrapped my arms around her, told her how much I love her, and thanked her for giving me a wonderful life. What might it have meant to her to have these answers before she died?

I don't have all the answers. I don't know when my bitterness and anger will go away. But I am grateful the case is finally solved and I am grateful that SQA helped me get the answers I so desperately needed, once and for all.

written by Mica Burton on behalf of Mary, a Search Quest America client.


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I have one older brother and sister. My father divorced my mother when I was two. When I was four, my mother became pregnant (father unknown). She decided to give the child up for adoption. My father helped her with the adoption process and I THINK his name may be on the adoption papers. Prior to my mother's death last year we talked about the baby boy she put up for adoption. She told me that she did it through a private adoption agency "Long Beach Adoption Agency" and she believed he was adopted by the "Kennedy" family. I often think of my half-brother. My mother did remarry and I also have a younger half-sister, Laura. I would like to locate him very much.

I was very pleased with my search over all. Who knew that after a lifetime of searching, I would receive such good news so quickly. My researcher located my brother, John's current contact information. She also found out he is currently married and has two children. She obtained his sister's contact information, and even made the first phone call to break the ice. It turns out he actually did not grow up knowing he was adopted. In fact, he just learned the truth when the investigator called him for the first time. That is a horrible way to learn you are adopted, and I've tried to be very understanding and give him the space he needs to talk to his family and get everything sorted out.

After the shock wore off, I noticed the family was been very warm and inviting to me. They opened up their home and although they don't have much to offer in this poor economy, I've been impressed by the way they take care of one another. It has been so refreshing to see how much we look alike. My brother and I both have a humongous, prominent nose. Our eyebrows are almost the same and we have the same shaped toes (tall in the big toe, then a perfect diagonal down to the pinky toe.)

These all seem like such minor details, but it can be very interesting and it sure feels like we are learning new things about each other every time we talk. I guess in many ways, our reunion is your run-of-the mill story. But to me it's the most important story I have ever told because it's my story. We are on a pathway to getting to know each other and I'm just so grateful for the opportunity to do it in this life. I hear all these other stories about biological parents or even siblings who pass away, leaving their biological family members without any chance of ever meeting them and getting their questions answered. It feels so good to be moving in the right direction.

I don't have many friends who have long lost loved ones, so I'm sending this story out into the great divide of internet readers. I want everyone to know how good it feels to meet your family member for the first time, and see connections take root and continue to grow. If you're holding back and worrying about all the what-ifs, just DO IT! Start your search and see where it takes you. I couldn't end my story without saying a HUGE thank you to SQA. Sincerely from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Karen.

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That's why I contacted SQA. I had to find my little brother and sister. They're twins, and we were separated when I was fifteen and they were 4 years old. I haven't seen them in over forty years. Let's just say my childhood was hell. Our mother was an alcoholic and I believe she also had mental issues. She couldn't hold down any kind of real job, so she made money at odd jobs here and there. We lived in Los Angeles and I was just a 15-year-old punk kid, but she expected me to be the man of the house and the woman too. She was always angry that the house wasn't clean, laundry wasn't done, and my little brother and sister hadn't been bathed. I remember many occasions when she would pass out cold on the couch with a bottle in her hand and a lit cigarette. My worst fear was that she'd light herself on fire and I wouldn't be able to put her out. Soon, I learned I had more to fear than my mom's self-destruction.

One day, a neighbor called the Department of Children and Families and reported what was going on. They had already visited our house on several occasions, and when the neighbor reported men coming in and out of the house at all hours of the day and night, and drug deals going down on our front porch, it was the last straw for DCF. I'll never forget the day they came to take Caleb and AnnaMaria away. They were just babies. I felt betrayed by the world. I was caught between wanting to protect them and knowing it was better that they be raised by another family, but also wanting to be loyal to my mother and keep our family together. I never really thought about what was best for me.

I used to visit Caleb and AnnaMaria every weekend and bring them toys and candy. I always promised I would see them soon, and would never let them say the words "goodbye." We made up our own secret handshakes and I after every visit, I left by saying "See you later alligator." It was a promise I couldn't keep.

After a year of weekly visits, I showed up on Saturday and rang the bell. The foster dad opened the door, and immediately I knew something was wrong. He told me to go away and never come back. Caleb and AnnaMaria had both been adopted by another family and I was would never be allowed to visit them again. He wouldn't even tell me where they lived or anything about their adoptive parents. It was a devastating blow. I couldn't keep my promises, and I felt like a bigger failure than our mother, because they trusted me and relied on me. I worried they were scared and thought I had abandoned them. It was an open wound that festered for years until I threw myself into school and a career, determined to make something out of myself and prove I was more a man than my father ever was. With hard work and determination, I got everything I ever wanted out of life. No trial I've gone through since has ever compared to the trauma of losing Caleb and AnnaMaria. I've been able to put it out of my mind for months at a time, but the anger, hopelessness, and desperation inevitably return.

Now that I'm in my fifties, I'm all out of excuses. With the support of my wife, we decided to hire a professional and find them once and for all. Our first contact to SQA was on July 20, 2010. I was told the search could take up to six months, and in the end it may not be solvable. I was also warned that Caleb and AnnaMaria may not know they were adopted, and may have no memory of me at all. They could also be totally unwilling to be reunited with me, which was a possibility I forced myself to accept.

I was shocked, and I mean SHOCKED when I received a phone call from my researcher eleven days later. She said, "I found AnnaMaria! Her new name is Melanie, and she can't wait to speak with you." Not only did AnnaMaria know she was adopted and that she had an older brother, she even remembered my visits to her foster home and had been praying for years that I would contact her. She called me that same night and we had the tearful reunion I'd barely allowed myself to hope for.

This joyful reunion was sobered by the news that Caleb had passed away. Shortly after being placed with their adoptive family, Caleb got bronchial pneumonia and after only a few days in the hospital, his lungs gave out and he passed away. He was only five years old.

Here I had imagined Caleb and AnnaMaria growing up together with a mom and a dad who loved them. When I struggled with my own choking feelings of loneliness and despair, I took comfort knowing that at least they had each other. When I learned that Caleb had died, I was devastated not only because I lost a brother, but because Melanie lost TWO brothers. Yet I was also overjoyed that at last, we found each other and could begin reclaiming the years we lost.

Our first conversation was over a year ago now. Since then, I've discovered just how much we have in common. We love the same music, the same foods, and whenever we're together my wife tells me we have some of the same mannerisms, like we both cross the same leg and tug our ears absentmindedly whenever we're nervous. Every time we get off the phone we end our conversation not by saying "goodbye," but with the old "See you later, Alligator" from our childhood. I still get choked up when I hear her say it.

I can't describe what a relief it has been to set aside all my fears and anxieties from the past and just concentrate on moving forward. We've been getting together on holidays and we talk to each other at least once a week. It really feels like my journey has come full circle and I can forgive my parents for their failures and release myself from some of the guilt I've harbored over the years. I feel like a new man in many ways and I'm just so grateful for SQA. I couldn't have done it without you guys and I'm forever in your debt.

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Garrett, a Search Quest America Client.


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I never got a chance to meet my daddy because he left before I was born. Whenever I used to ask about him my mama would always say, "Lakeisha, forget about that man. He ain't never done nothin' for you anyway." Except I can't just forget about my dad. He's half of who I am. Every time I look in the mirror I see half of my identity and it's a face I don't even recognize. Who was this man Walker Newton, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? Was he a good man, a fighting man, a spiritual man? Is he a man I want to claim as my flesh and blood, or in the end will I wish I had left well enough alone? Do I have any brothers or sisters out there somewhere? And most of all, who do I look like?

When I heard about all these perfect Reunion Stories I always thought my reunion would turn out that way too. Except it didn't. Not at all. Search Quest America found my father, Walker. My researcher also found lots of information about his criminal record, which I hadn't been expecting. It turns out he was arrested in 2008 for 3rd degree larceny. He was convicted and sentence to three years of probation. Personally, I was not happy to learn my dad has a criminal record. It made me pause and wonder if I wanted to be reunited with him at all, but in the end family is family so I decided to go ahead and contact him.

Ironically, his mug shot was a key piece of information in the case. My researcher got the mug shot and showed it to my mother to confirm that we had found the right man. Then, she contacted the probation officer for Walker's current phone number and address.

Can you believe when my researcher contacted him, Walker claimed he never even knew my mother and refused to accept the possibility that I might be his daughter? I was outraged. I was so angry that he would deny my patronage, especially when we look so much alike. I decided either he was lying about not knowing my mom or he honestly can't remember, and if that's true I'm not sure he's a person I want in my life anyway.

After the initial shock and disappointment wore off, I decided to ask Walker if he would take a DNA test. He agreed. We sent away our samples to a DNA laboratory out of state and low and behold, the results came back positive. I felt like I belonged on the Jerry Springer show and imagined my dad's reaction when he opened the envelope and read, "Walker, you ARE the father." Would he be happy, sad, angry, frustrated, or feel duped somehow? I find it insulting that he would not openly invite me to be a member of his life. It's not like I wanted anything from him. Now I feel validated now that my patronage is proven with no more doubts.

The DNA test was over six months ago. Walker warmed up a little bit to me, but never to the level I hoped for. We're still working on our relationship and I'm just hoping we'll get closer as we get to know each other. The best part of this whole search and reunion is finding out I have three half-siblings. We friended each other on Facebook and talk almost constantly. I know Walker might never warm up to me and be the dad I've always needed. But I'm an adult now and I can appreciate the most valuable thing I've gained out of this whole situation is my new best friends, my siblings.

I just want to give another quick shout out to SQA. You guys really made it happen and I'm grateful I took the leap of faith, saved my money, and invested in the company that was able to get results. I'll keep you posted as things continue to unfold, but for now, I'm cautiously optimistic that things are going to work out just fine. Thanks again for everything!

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of LaKeisha, a Search Quest America client.

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My mom was always very tight-lipped about my father growing up. I know they met when he was stationed in Germany with the army, around 1980 and 1981. She told me he's probably from Alabama, but that's where the information ends. She has always insisted that he doesn't know about me, and that's the only reason he doesn't call. I wonder if she just says that because she thinks I'm not strong enough to handle the truth. But I am strong enough. If he knows about me and is just avoiding the responsibilities of parenthood, well I'm hoping he will embrace the responsibilities of grandfather hood instead.

When I saved the money and hired SQA to find my birth father, my mom finally got the message that I'm serious about this search. When my researcher called her to get more information, she finally shared some important information. In fact, my father's full name is Warren Davis, and he was from Evergreen, Alabama. He was discharged from the army in the Spring of 1981, and she believes he is about her age, in his early fifties today. He was between 5'7" and 5'8" and had a caramel complexion. He was stationed in Bremerhaven, Germany when they fell in love and she said goodbye to him without ever telling him she was pregnant. I guess that was one fact that stayed true. But with the other information, like his full name and home town, my investigator found my father within 30 days of the start of the search.

She learned that he has been married to a woman named Lorraine for 25 years, and they were married only a year after I was born. He appears to have at least 3 sons, one of whom is also married and owns the house right next door to his dad. With these details I started to put together the picture of who my father is. He's patriotic, hard-working, a loving father, and faithful to his wife to stay married for over 20 years. When my researched asked if I wanted her to contact him, I paused to think on it for 24 hours.

If I was an established man living in my home town, married for 20 years and with grown children, would I want someone to call me out of the blue? I was worried that this approach might be a little too forward. Instead, I decided to write him a letter. I gathered the only photographs of him I had... a picture of he and my mom out dancing at a restaurant in Germany. I also included pictures of me growing up, a photo of my mom today, and most importantly a picture of my son. I knew that this might be the only letter I ever sent and he may not decide to contact me, so I wanted it to be perfect. I included all of my contact information, including my cell number, house number, my husband's contact information, and my address. I'll never forget the prayer I said when I put that thick envelope in the mail. I was an insomniac for days, up all night just wondering if he had gotten the letter yet and whether he was happy or sad to receive it.

At 8:00 on a Wednesday night, my phone finally rang with an unknown number. I braced myself, took a deep breath, and answered the phone. "Hi Daphne, this is Warren, you're father. I guess it's about time I picked up the phone, eh?" was the first thing he said to me. His voice was more gravelly than I expected, but it was absolutely filled with love. That first call we shared many tears and talked for hours. He sent me a plan ticket to visit the next weekend, and my husband and I flew down from Maryland to Alabama. His whole family welcomed us with open arms. I met all my little brothers, who look just like me, but masculine. I took about a thousand photos, especially of my son with his grandpa. Since we first talked about a year ago, we've kept in touch every week. We'll be spending Thanksgiving together this year and when we go around the table and tell what we're thankful for, I already know what I'll say. I'm thankful I finally picked up the phone and called SQA, who gave me the priceless gift of meeting my father for the first time.

Thank you SQA!

Written by Mica burton on behalf of Daphne, a Search Quest America client.


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When I was twenty five I convinced my dad to hire a private investigator to locate my birth family. Our whole family waited on pins and needles for months, but the PI didn't get very far. I tried a lot of services for adoptees, but no one really seemed to care about me, just the money.

My adopted mother Joan was always jealous and too forthcoming with information, she has since passed on. Here is information that I have been told mostly by my adopted father Robert. I was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, AZ on November 19, 1967 at 11:27pm. My birth mother held me and almost did not let me go. Dad told me later in life that I look just like she did. She was about 22-23. Her name was Norma and Dad met her when she came into his medical clinic. She opened up and told my dad that she was giving up her baby for adoption, and my dad told her he and his wife were trying to adopt. Before long the arrangements were made.

Norma worked for the Clerk of the Courts and head of the Credit Bureau here in Phoenix and even helped Dad get rid of some bad debt. She lived with her parents, I think, somewhere near Good Samaritan around Glendale Road. My Dad says she told him that my biological father was going to ASU for an Engineer degree and had a high IQ. Guys will say anything, right? LOL

My dad was there in the room when I was born. Although he wasn't my biological father, my birth mother put his name on my original birth certificate. She told him she and her fianc', were planning to move back east after I was born. At least when I was born, she wasn't planning to put my half-brother up for adoption too. I'm proud of her for that.

Well that is all I know, but I realize that is a lot more than others know. I believe in miracles. My favorite book is On Being Adopted. It has pulled me through a lot of feelings I have had through life and validated them. I have several reasons for wanting to find my birth mother. One of the most pressing reasons is that I want my complete medical history. It is scary not knowing my risk factors. If I were to find my birth mother and our reunion blossomed into a full-fledged friendship and relationship, it would be a dream come true for me. I am especially interested in getting to know my half-brother.

It has always been a dream to know blood relatives on this earth as I have no children. I have felt alone and abandoned at times. I would love to know my heritage as I have no idea where I come from. My Dad provided a very good life for me. He actually he divorced my adopted mother when I was 7 because she harmed me. He remarried a woman when I was 8 and she has 4 children, so I went from an only child to 4 siblings I really didn't get along with. In many ways I'm still searching for my place in this world, and that was my most compelling reason for searching for my birth family.

I'm sorry to say that although my case has been solved, it hasn't exactly given me the new family and opportunities I hoped it would.

My researcher solved my case in less than a month. She spoke with my half-brother, Kendrick, first. He said he always knew he had a sister out there somewhere! He even thought my name was Tammy because our mom always kept a special doll with the same name. He even put out an ad in the personals searching for me over 15 years ago, but could never get his mom to give any more information about whether I actually existed and what the circumstances were behind my birth. Our first conversation went very well. We were both excited to get to know each other and Kendrick promised to talk to our mom and soften the blow before I contacted her myself.

When I didn't hear from him more than a week later, I started to worry. I knew something was wrong when he wouldn't return my phone calls or emails. My mind sorted through a hundred different possible explanations before I received his letter in the mail. He wrote: "Tammy, I'm very sorry but my mother is not your birth mother, and I am not your half-brother. I was mistaken in my belief that I had a sister. My mom is 100% positive that she has never had any other children, so we are not related. Good luck to you."

I was totally shocked when I read these words. I felt betrayed. We had such a positive first phone call, and then he got cold feet and slammed the proverbial door right in my face. I cried for days. It was worse than if I had never found my birth family at all. I agonized over what to do now. I couldn't imagine coming so far just to fall short of meeting my birth mother.

First I double checked with my investigator and confirmed beyond the shadow of a doubt that this was the correct family. Then, I counseled with my dad, husband, and best friends about what to do next. I decided to write my birth mother a letter. I provided detailed information about me, including photographs of my children and myself throughout my life. I wrote the letter as if it would be my final communication with the family. I told her how much I love her, even though we've never met. I told her how grateful I am that she gave me a wonderful home and reassured her I had a great life. I told her if she wasn't able to reunite with me, I wouldn't hold it against her, but I needed her to know these things in case I never got to say them to her in person. When I put that package in the mail I heard it clunk in the bottom of the mailbox and I breathed a sigh of relief. I released all my anxieties and angst and made the decision to move on with my life.

That was over a year ago and I still have not heard back from my birth family. I pray that one day I will, but in the meantime I'm just living my life and learning to be happy with all the blessings I DO have, instead of focusing on the dream that didn't quite turn out the way I hoped.

Even if I had known the way this would turn out, I would not change a single thing about my search. Although the experience was painful at times and disappointing over all, at least I'm not still pining for what might have been or dreaming about a picture-perfect TV reunion someday. And over all I truly am more grateful for the wonderful family I have. I wouldn't trade them for the world, although I'm reserving a place in my heart for my birth family. I hope they come around some day but I can finally say even if they don't, I'll be ok. Better than ok, actually, because nothing could be worse than wondering "What if?" To other adoptees in my situation, I warn you to be prepared for the best and worst possible scenarios. But don't let your fear of a negative outcome stop you from searching in the first place. It's better to have answers and know the truth, one way or another.

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Tammy, a Search Quest America Client.

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All the info I have I got from my mother in law back in 1998. Since then my in-laws have both passed on. My husband is almost fifty and I would love to find Reagan for him. I don't think Reagan even knows he is adopted because if he did, he would have no problem finding us, at least if he has his original birth certificate. His birth mother still has the same name as at the time of the adoption, and since it's a fairly uncommon name in the United States, it should be easy to locate her if Reagan is trying.

When we first called SQA, our computer was old and not working correctly. We were living in Oregon. Our computer was old and we were both working, so it wasn't like we had a ton of time to devote to the search. Even if we did have time, we would never even know where to start. But our researcher was a real professional. It didn't take long at all for him to find Reagan.

Except of course, his name isn't Reagan anymore. It's Steven now. It turns out Steven was born in March of 1961 in Fontana, California. But he found out he was adopted in 1996 when he was 35 years old. When our researcher first contacted Steven, he did it through Facebook of all things. He sent Steven a message saying that his birth mother was trying to find him.

Steven replied back: "Interesting...Is my birth mother still alive? And her name would be Candace? My sister's name is also Candace. My mother and father who raised me never told me I was adopted till about 1996. Only my father who raised me told me this. My mother never told me. She passed away in 2003. I think I have a sister named Debora who is 2 years younger than me. I know absolutely nothing about my birth mother or my biological father. Please enlighten me further.

I've always wanted to find my birthmother, once I was told by my father that I was adopted. I didn't have enough information to conduct an investigation and my mother's daughter, my sister, who is 15 years older than me swore to my mother to never tell me. So to this day the secret rests calmly with my sister. The only way I found out any info that I described is by searching in my mother's drawers for evidence. I found a few letters from my birthmother named Candace. They were dated 1963-64. They were living in Arizona then. That's all I know... I saw a picture of Debora when she must have been about 6 or 7 years old sitting on a white pale in the yard.

This is very exciting to reunite with biological family members. There is so much to learn and so many questions to ask...How many brothers and sisters do I have with the same mother and father? OK...I'm going to give my personal E-mail address to you, to give to any family member who wants it."

As you can see from this first message, Steven is a very open, caring individual and he was very curious about his biological family. Our investigator sent Steven more information about the family, and he replied with the following:

"WOW...!!! I am trying to digest all that info you just sent to me. What a life changing event... I knew that my sister would not cooperate. I think she swore an oath to my mother to never tell me about the adoption. My father finally told me the truth in 1996. He and my mother Valerie had divorced back in 75. I found him living in Northern Santa Barbara, CA in around 1991. He then moved to Astoria Oregon in 94. Sadly he passed away in 1997. He was buried in his home town in Illinois. My mother died on June 2003. She was only 79. She is buried in Riverside, CA. My sister lives in Bullhead City AZ. I have a niece and nephew who live in Riverside still. My nephew lives in my childhood home that I grew up in.

I'm not quite ready to make a phone call yet...This is such a discovery that I need time to digest this. Right now, I would be more comfortable with E-mails to share information. I thought that my biological family had just written me off as a lost family member. I never thought they would try and find me. Do you know what an impact this has on a person?? This takes you all the way back to day 1 of your life. The truth of who I am and who my biological family members are is a person's main root of life. Could you give my personal E-mail address to my uncle, aunt, and even my birth mother if she wants it? I would like to E-mail them and start a family dialog with them. The 541 area code is in Oregon somewhere. I'd like to hear how Candace and my mother became acquainted to talk about adopting me to her. And what was the deal with my biological father?

The reason my name was changed to was that I was going to grade school with "Blackburn", which is my Mother's last name. But my dad living in the home was had a different name... So as I grew older and started asking questions about my last name... Valerie had an attorney change it because Valerie told me that Harlan was my real father. And I believed her so I was glad to have my last name.

So around 1976 my name was changed from then on. Are any of my relatives on Facebook?

My Father, Harlan Baumgartner, told me that my birthmother has blond hair? I have golden fine blond hair and greyish blue eyes. It would be very interesting to find out what color hair and eye color my parents have. I am 6'1" tall. My normal weight is supposed to be about 205 lbs. I don't weight 205 anymore... Interesting that I still have 90% of my hair and have not had a real problem with losing any hair. Probably going way too far for you to answer as it would be better answered by Candace.

I just read your latest reply...How old is Candace? When is her Birthday? You know it was a total fluke that I ever even got on Facebook in the first place. My Sister Candace and all of my "known" family members were "Facebooking" and Candace said... come on join the group with us. I finally said OK after about 1 year of saying No... Now look what happens... My birthmother finds me here on Facebook."

Our reunion has been a dream come true. It seems like every day we are answering more questions and Steven is just so excited to get to know the family. Thank you so much to SQA for all your hard work. We couldn't have done all this without you. We'll keep you posted and up to date as our story continues to unfold. God Bless you!

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Candace, a Search Quest America client.


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Clara never told me about the circumstances behind my birth, but growing up I knew there was something different about me. In the privacy of our home she was always cold to me and I desperately sought to understand why. As a young child I convinced myself it was my fault and set out on a quest to be more perfect, hoping against hope that I would earn her love.

Clara and Samuel separated when I was 9 or 10, but I did not learn about my true heritage until I was 18 years old. I wanted to go to Hawaii and my mom couldn't give me a birth certificate to apply for a passport. This was 1975. She didn't know what to do, so she family meeting and told us the story of how I became a part of the family. She romanticized it of course, but I was old enough to know that my father had been unfaithful over the years. It wasn't hard to put two and two together to realize I was a product of one of his affairs. You can't imagine the pain I felt when I finally understood why I was always treated differently than my siblings. In that moment I understood that no matter how much I tried to be perfect, I would never be able to compensate for the cruelties my mother endured, and to her I was a symbol of my father's infidelity and a living, breathing reminder of her own inadequacies.

I didn't know she had a copy of my original birth certificate until after she died in 1982. In 1983, my dad died also and I went through my mom's papers and found the certificate, along with a note from my biological father and a formula book from the hospital. It took years before I realized he must have loved me a little or at least enough to seek out a home for me. And my mom certainly did the best she could, considering the circumstances.

No matter how much I try to put this heartache behind me, I can't seem to move on. I am a grown woman, even a grandmother myself. But I can't seem to muster any sense of self-worth until I understand why my own mother gave me away without even bothering with the paperwork of a legitimate adoption. I have decided that the only way I will be able to move on once and for all and stop punishing myself for my father's sins is if I find my birth mother and learn the other side of the story.

I am not sure I will be welcomed into the family. At the very least I'd like to know my medical history for the sake of my children. Whatever happens, I know my life was not in vain. I'm here for a reason and I give God all the glory because when man failed me, He kept me through it all.

Here is what I have been told about the circumstances of my birth. My birth mother's name was Mary Blake. She had to have a hysterectomy from complications of my birth, so I am assuming she did not have other biological children. Mary met my father through a mutual friend. She came to him at work when I was three weeks old and essentially dumped me on his lap. My uncle worked with him and witnessed the scene that took place. My father refused to take me, screaming at Mary and shoving the baby carrier back into her arms as I screamed between them. He shouted that his mother was too old to care for me, and what was he supposed to do? Take me home to his wife?

I believe she may have been married at the time. She was twenty-four; he was forty-one. She had three other children at the time. I also know she was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He was born in Trinidad. The hospital I was born in was called the Italian Hospital in New York; I believe it was in the Bronx or Manhattan. At the end of the day, I just need to know who I really am. Why wasn't I wanted? How could my birth mother give me away? Did her husband find out about the affair and force her to give me up?

When I first contacted SQA and initiated my search, I kept it a secret. Although my husband and children know the basic facts of my birth and upbringing, I didn't want to burden them with the deep pain I have been harboring all these years. I didn't want anyone to talk me out of it or tell me I was crazy. When my researcher Julie Jones called one Sunday evening, I was sitting down to dinner with my husband, and my daughter and grandson who were visiting for the day. When I saw that it was Julie calling, I stepped away from the table for privacy. She said, "Denise, I found your birth mother, Mary. She's alive and lives in the Bronx. You also have a brother Kevin and a sister Leeza. They want to talk to you. Can you write this down?"

When I put my hand over my mouth and started sobbing, everything went dead silent in the room and everyone thought something terrible had happened. They stared at me blankly as I babbled "she found my Mother! I have to call her!" They knew my adoptive mother had been dead for years. When the whole story came out they were very supportive. My husband held my hand when I called my mother for the first time.

I'm still taking it all in!! My eldest daughter and son traveled with me to meet my mother at her home. We talked, looked at pictures and it was nice. I have talked with my sister in Texas and though we've never met we have a lot in common. The conversation flowed so smoothly. It was great to find out they knew about me all along and tried to find me several times under my birth name. We are talking about getting together for a Thanksgiving gathering.

It's hard to put my feelings into words but I can say this: I feel like a new woman. A huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders and I am finally able to put the past behind me and just be grateful for the wonderful life I have been given and the people in it who love me and support me no matter what. I am so glad I mustered the nerve to search for my birth mother and that I found the courage to let go of the past and step into a whole new future. I'm embracing it!

Written by Mica Burton on Search Quest America Client Denise's behalf.

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I was born in April of 1954 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My birth mother's name was Dorothy Stuart, and I was always told she was forced to give me up "because of circumstances beyond her control." I was also told Dorothy had at least 3 older children when I was born. I have no ill feelings toward my birth mother. I understand she made the best decision she could at the time, and I imagine she must have wondered about me all these years as I have wondered about her. I long to connect with her, let her know that I turned out all right, and heal whatever wounds she must be carrying. I am 55 years old, so I imagine she is in her late 70s or early 80s. I just desperately hope I'm not too late.

Growing up I fantasized about chance meetings at the grocery store or accidentally dating a brother or cousin. As an adult I yearned to look into my children's faces and be able to say with some authority, "you look just like your grandma." As I got older I felt a more urgent need for medical information. As each year passed I became more aware of the fragility of life and I prayed that I would find my birth mother before she leaves this world. I'm old enough now to know that friends come and go, but family stays forever. I would love to meet my siblings and know what it's like to share that special bond. I just feel lost without them, and without knowing about my ancestors and where I come from.

Despite my need for answers, I was wary to pay for another search. My husband was very supportive every step of the way. I did my research with the Better Business Bureau and read several reviews and testimonials online before I decided to start my search with SQA in June of 2010.

By April of 2011, the case was officially solved. Julie spoke with my sister Linda first, and she confirmed there had been rumors floating around about me in the family for years. The oldest sibling, Linda, remembered moving in with her grandmother for a few months while our mother went away. She also remembered that she was pregnant when she left, but did not have a baby with her when she returned. She always knew the baby would find them someday, and she was ready to embrace me with open arms when I showed up on their doorstep.
Unfortunately, my birth mother Dorothy died two years ago. I am so upset and disappointed that I missed meeting my mother by only 2 years! I wish I had found SQA and been able to put all the pieces together sooner, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be. I am thrilled to learn I have 3 siblings I will have the privilege to meet. Only 2 months after my birth, Dorothy was married to her second husband. For years, the family has speculated that this man was the father of the baby that was given up for adoption---me. So it may turn out that although these 3 children were only Dorothy's step-children, they may be my half-siblings. Of the 6 total, 1 has already died, but the other 5 have been very welcoming. I already feel like a member of the family.

Within the first month after our reunion, my siblings and I constantly speculated about my birth father's identity. We also wanted to confirm that I was indeed the child Dorothy had given up for adoption, so we purchased a DNA test and sent away for the results. Meanwhile, I reached out to each of my siblings by phone and email. Every day I rushed home to find new messages from family members on the answering machine. When the DNA results came back, they confirmed that I AM Dorothy's daughter, but my birth father was NOT her second husband. I may never know the identity of my birth father.

On April 14, 2011, I met my 3 siblings in person and it was absolutely great. It was a very special day for me because it was also my birthday. I can't remember a better birthday in my life!!! At first it was a little awkward as no one really knew what to say to get things started, but within just a few minutes they began to open up, then when Patricia got there it seemed just like it was a group of siblings that had decided to meet for the afternoon. It just felt right, if you know what I mean.

I will admit I had one brother who was more reserved regarding the reunion. I expect it will just take time for everyone to warm up to me. There have also been a few surprises along the way. Sharon, the youngest of the three children from Dorothy's first marriage, married a young man from my home town! My brother played baseball with him for three summers and remembered him. One of my best friends dated him before he met my biological sister! Strange coincidences like these keep coming up and I am so grateful to feel like a part of this big extended family. In addition to my siblings, I have 39 nieces and nephews. I am really dreading Christmas!!!!!

In the last several months, I have been sharing my story with anyone who will listen. I feel so blessed to be reunited with my birth family and I know there are probably others out there who will be inspired by my story. We are so grateful for SQA's honest, conscientious service that would do anything to help you. You'll never know what your hard work has done for us. If you ever need something from here in Oklahoma please let us know. We could never thank you enough.

Written by Mica Burton on Search Quest America Client Cathy's behalf.

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My adoptive parents were 40 years old when I was adopted. Needless to say there was quite a generation gap between us. My adoptive mom had Alzheimer's the last 10 years she was alive and my father had cancer for most of that time too. I took care of them and taught school full time as well. They died 5 weeks apart in 1999. I am searching for anything to fill this deep hole inside that has always been in me. I was legally adopted in 2000 by a very dear friend who had no children and was divorced. She basically had no family either and we decided to become each other's family. It has meant a lot to me but that empty space inside is still there.

I know that my birth parents were both from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I have a copy of my amended birth certificate. I know the name of the law firm that handled the adoption and the name of the pediatrician who delivered me. When it comes to more important information, however, I draw a blank. I have no other adoptive siblings to share this burden, no medical information from my biological family, no anything. I don't even know my ethnic background. As I begin this search for my birth family, recognize that there are many possible outcomes to my search. I know there's a chance my birth parents might also be deceased, or they may not want to embrace me as part of their family. However, I refuse to let my fear of the unknown rob me of the potential happiness I may find at the end of this rainbow.

Fast forward two years and four months. My researchers Marilyn and Julie worked diligently on my case for nearly a year. Finally, they found the one family in Tulsa, Oklahoma with my birth mother's last name. She was 44 at the time of my birth and already had 3 older children. She died in March of 2003 in Lubbock, Texas. She was a homemaker and dedicated her life to raising her children. Her survivors included a son, two daughters, eight grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. When Julie first contacted my brother, he was shocked to learn his mother gave a daughter up for adoption. She never told a soul about me. I was born shortly following her divorce from our father, and that the strained emotional and financial situation contributed to her decision to give me up for adoption.

Although I did not have an opportunity to meet my birth mother or birth father before their deaths, I was blessed to be put in contact with my siblings and members of my extended birth family. What a journey have I been on since that day!

My brother and I spoke on the phone several times trying to set a date when we all could get together. Finally, in April, the four siblings got a chance to meet. I drove from Texas, my oldest sister and her husband flew into New Orleans and rented a car, then drove to Mississippi and picked up my brother and his wife. We all converged on the Hampton Inn in Searcy, Arkansas where our other sister and her husband live. My sister was too ill to make the trip to Mississippi so we came to her. Her son in law rented the entire second floor suites including the hospitality suite, the Governor's suite and the Presidential suite for all of us. He paid for everything and wouldn't allow me to pay for anything.

My siblings embraced me as if they had known me my entire life! The sister that was so ill and I met first before the others arrived. When she walked in the room I felt like I was viewing myself in 17 years. We looked just alike. She walked up to me, patted my cheek and echoed my own thoughts when she said "it's me! She looks just like me!" Everyone in the room was in tears except the two of us. All we could do was hug each other and laugh. When the others arrived we all were greeting one another in the hospitality room.
My brother in law asked my oldest sister and my brother if they could tell by looking at me who my father was. Everyone said at the same time that they could. They are pretty sure my father was one of my birth mother's best friends who work on the pipelines. His name was Ray Fickle. I have a picture of him and I do look like a combination of he and my mother. It is unreal. They both were 1/4 Cherokee Indian and all of the kids have the high Native American cheekbones and other features. We all tan quickly and have a bit of a red tinge in our coloring even though we have different fathers.

My sister who was in poor health passed away one month after our meeting. I didn't get to go to the funeral but did talk on the phone a lot before her death. My niece told me she talked about me non-stop the day she died. She kept saying how much it meant to her that we met. She also told my niece that I would be taking her place in my niece's life. I have too. We have become very close. I am flying up to visit them in September. Thank you for your persistence in your search for my family. It could not have turned out any better than this. My life is complete and I'm finally whole.

Sincerest thanks,

Mary
(Search Quest America Client)

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Well like I said recently he started having some serious medical problems. Having a full family medical history could be the missing piece of the puzzle to help his doctor's figure out what's wrong with him. I feel so powerless on those late-night trips to the ER. I can hold his hand, rub his back, and comfort him, but I am powerless to give him what he really needs: answers. Every time I have suggested searching for his birth mother, he always says "I just couldn't hurt my mom like that." He is a very loving, loyal son and that's part of the reason I love him so much.

I was so relieved when one day Chad's mom came to the hospital one day with his adoption file. She said, "I think it's about time you find out where you come from, don't you?" We were both shocked, but so excited at this new turn of events. The files revealed that Chad was born in Siloam Springs, Arkansas on March 5, 1979. His birth mother's name was Tina Schnick Wilson. Armed with this information we went online and started searching adoption registries. For hours we pored over birth mothers who had placed babies for adoption in Arkansas in 1979. Finally, we hit pay dirt! On one registry we found a woman describing Chad to a T. Her name was Tina, and the birth date and city even matched the adoption file we had. She even posted a short story of her adoption on Birthmothers Exploited.

The hardest part was figuring out who to call to see if it was a match or not. We contacted Search Quest America and talked to Susan Friel-Williams. With her connections she was able to access the registry and confirmed that we had indeed found Chad's birth mother! Even better, Tina always made sure her contact information was up to date, so Susan was able to call the number listed and not only was it in service, but Tina answered on the first attempt!
I am so grateful because it seems like this reunion was just meant to be. I believe there is God who gives us mini-miracles.

Why else would Chad's mom decide to give us the information that day? How did we just happen to find the right investigator who is also the voluntary administrator of the reunion registry we were looking at when she just happened to be available? Who helped Tina to have the courage to put her information out there in hopes that someday we would find her? Thank God for mini-miracles.

SQA, we would like to thank you for your quick response and help finding my husband's birth mother. We have been in contact with her today. They both are happy to finally find each other. Now we have the medical information Chad's doctors need to help him get healthy. We also learned that he has 2 brothers, sister and nieces/nephews. Thank you so much for making this possible. We appreciate you and all you do to help others to find that missing link they are looking for. God bless and have a wonderful day!

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Search Quest America Client Jamie and Chad.


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When I was about 9 years old, my siblings and I were removed from our home and put into foster care. At first we were together, but within days we were separated. I was personally in over 12 foster cares before I turned 18. Some were good and some were worse than I had ever experienced at home with my parents. I tried to keep in touch with my siblings the best I could, but somehow I lost track of them. When we all turned 18, I looked my siblings up and one by one we reconnected, except Ricky. I haven't seen him in at least 20 years now, and I have to know what happened to him. It was once rumored that he was adopted by a family named Reid, but when I contacted the courts they told me he was never adopted.

I have no official documents about him. I know he was born on August 18th, but I don't know what year. I believe he would be 29 or 30 years old today, and may be living in California. I am 26 years old now and I feel blessed to have a wonderful husband in the military and three beautiful children. I want to find Ricky to let him know that as long as I'm alive, he's not alone. I love him and I want him to be in my life, no matter what.

From day one, my husband was opposed to my search. He didn't want to spend the money and get ripped off, and he was nervous because Ricky may have turned out as a dangerous guy or is part of a gang. If so, he doesn't want that influence around our children. At the end of the day, I am worried that if Ricky tried to find me he might not be able to because I've changed my name three times: twice in foster care, then in marriage.

Julie did a great job putting me at ease right away. I appreciated how confident she was that she would be able to solve the case. That really put my mind at ease and helped me focus on the positive. Less than 4 weeks after she started the case, I received a phone call saying, "Jessica! Grab a pen and piece of paper. Write this down......it's your brother's phone number!" He lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Tracee and two children.

While bawling my head off, I somehow managed to write down Ricky's number. As soon as I composed myself, I dialed it and heard the voice I love and remember say warmly "Jessy, is this you?" From there, the rest is history. Now that we've found each over again, I won't ever let him out of my sight. It felt great to tell him how grateful I am that he worked so hard to take care of me and keep me safe. I reminded him of our game slaying dragons and told him I had just slain the fiercest one of all by finding him. Thanks SQA for all your help and for reuniting me with my big brother. You can be honorary dragon slayers too, if you want!

Written by Mica Burton on Search Quest America Client Jessica Nicole's behalf.

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She came from a very strict Vietnamese family who refused to help her. They were Vietnamese immigrants and were working very long hours just to get by. They rented the home they lived in and they felt it was too small to keep an infant. Thinking they were helping her learn independence, they kicked her out of their home with a 9-month old baby---me.

Jennifer struggled along for another month. She was hungry, I was hungry. We literally had nothing. A relative in Hawaii sent for her, so she packed up her few things and left the mainland for good. There, she made the impossible decision to give me up for adoption. She had been holding, feeding, comforting, and playing with me for almost a year, yet she found the strength to put me up for adoption and give me a chance at a normal life.

My mom always told me growing up that my birth mother loved me and wanted me SO much. In fact, she intended to keep in touch with me by sending letters and visiting whenever she could. But after these visits, my adoptive mom says I was would go into a tantrum for days. Refused to eat and I screamed and cried for hours, feeling abandoned all over again. Jennifer knew how difficult it was for me, so one day she simply stopped visiting. I still have the letters she wrote to me as a baby. I've tried sending letters to these addresses, hoping beyond hope that one might get forwarded to her current address. Most of them were returned. I wonder now if she may have gone back to Vietnam.
The one thing I know for sure is that I can't find her on my own. I contacted SQA and it was such a relief when Julie took the case off my hands and went to work like a true professional. She started the case on July 28, 2011 and it was solved by August 25, 2011, not even a month later!

Julie called her first to confirm her identity and ask if she wanted to be in touch with me. Jennifer was very, very happy to be found. She lives in Fountain Valley, California. It was surreal to find out her birth date, April 27th, and know that day used to be normal for me, but it will be special from now on.

Only 2 weeks after talking on the phone for the first time, my birth mother returned to Hawaii for the first time since my adoption. She brought my younger brother Andrew to meet me and the rest of my family. It's been a surreal experience for both of us! She still pictures me as the ten-month old baby she said goodbye too. It was a healing experience to meet me as an adult in the same town she said goodbye to me as an infant. It feels like we've come full circle.

I wanted to thank you again for finding her. It has been a big relief for both of us to know we are loved and thought about often. I think she feels at peace knowing I understand why she chose to put me up for adoption, and I love her as much as she loves me.

Written by Mica Burton on Teresa's behalf.


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Megan is an amazing person in and out. I have always told her that I would help her anytime she wanted to look. She is 25 years old and the time is now. She needs to find her birth parents, or birth family for medical, emotional reasons.

We were told her mother's name (Deanna) by a close friend that worked in Martin County Court house, but this needs to be verified. Both parents were college students when she was born. Her dad had reddish hair and a beard. There was no history of cancer known at the time of birth. Stephen Fraser was the attorney (Somner & Fraser) and David Harper was the Judge. It was finalized in November 1984. She was born in Martin Memorial Hospital, in Stuart, Florida, Martin County. Megan and I moved to NC in 1990. Currently, Megan is a PHD student at Duke, NC.

I started Megan's search for her on July 6, 2010. By July 28, 2010, the case was solved! Suddenly I was face to face with a reality that always seemed more like an eventuality. Megan was nervously optimistic when Julie called us with Deanna's birth information. We took about an hour to compose ourselves, and then picked up the phone. Deanna was so excited to hear from us! She told us right away that she is totally open to getting to know Meagan and wants her to be a part of her life. However, she has to do a little damage control because she never told her family about the pregnancy or adoption.

Now, Deanna lives in Gainesville, Georgia. She and Megan look almost identical, and have many of the same mannerisms. They talk on Facebook almost constantly and they both enjoy writing and Art. Sometimes when I'm with them it's like they speak their own language. I won't deny that at times I feel a twinge of sadness, wondering if I have ever made Megan as happy as she looks with Deanna.

Then, the other day she came over to my house bright and early and surprised me with Starbucks coffee. Instead of calling me advanced, she sneaked in with her key and came up to my room. She kicked off her shoes and crawled into my bed just like she used to when she was little. As she hugged me she said, "You'll always be my mommy. What would I do without you?" I don't think she understands how much I needed to hear that. I am truly so happy for both of them and what matters most is that Megan looks like herself again. The light is back in her eyes and I really think she looks in the mirror now and sees a whole person with a past, present, and awesome future. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. Thanks SQA for making it all possible.

Written by Mica Burton on Miriam's behalf.

(Client ID#279331)


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I was in dis-belief. I was remarried to my wife Yaya and had 3 small children. I didn't know what to. Foolishly, I told her I was glad she was fine, but she should move on with her life; she was better off not meeting me. I could hear the hurt in her voice before she hung up, and I have regretted hurting her every day since that phone call 11 years ago. This was the biggest mistake of my life. I honestly wasn't trying to reject her. I just remembered everything that happened when I was married to her mother and I felt I was not worthy to be a part of her life.

Now I'm ready to have a relationship with Carlota. I'm hoping she will give me a second chance to be the father she deserves. My children are almost grown now and since that day, we have included her in our nightly prayers and have looked for her on many websites over the years but no luck. Her mother's name is Yolanda Barejo and her grandmother's name was Romelia. They may still live in Los Angeles. I believe Yolanda married a man in the military after we divorced.

With my wife's encouragement, I contacted SQA and initiated a search to find Carlota. My researcher was Julie Jones and she located Carlota in only 7 days!! Julie first contacted Carlota by sending her a message on Facebook asking her to contact me directly. Days passed with no response. Julie emailed me Carlota's current address, phone number, and email address, along with her date of birth. She gave me a link to her Facebook page and I couldn't believe my eyes! Her profile picture shows a smiling, confident young woman. She's beautiful! She looks happy. I wondered what I missed out on and wished I had not rejected her when she first contacted me. As each day closed, I prayed that she would contact me and forgive me.

My wife contacted Julie to see what we should do. We agreed our next step would be to send a letter to her home address, but we would wait one more week for Carlotta to contact us or not. Three days later, Julie forwarded me this email:

"Yes, I am Carlota, and yes, Jose is my father. The thing is, the last time we spoke, which was about 11 years ago, he turned my world upside down. I have moved on. I have built a family and don't feel a need for putting myself through that again. So I appreciate the fact that he feels remorse for what he did, but the rejection is not something I can get over just that easily. Please forward my information to my half-siblings and I would gladly reunite with them. However, please ask Jose to respect my choice."

Now I know personally the pain a person feels when they are rejected by their own blood. I am ashamed that I "turned her life upside down," and I will respect her wishes. I just want her to know that even if I never have a chance to get to know Carlota, I will always consider her my daughter and I will always love her. Although I feel much sorrow at her choice, I understand it and respect her choice as a grown woman. I hope that she will come to change her mind with time, as I did.

In the meantime her brother and sisters have been communicating back and forth with her. We are taking it slow and hoping to guild from here. I cannot express how grateful we are for this opportunity that has been given to our family. I want to tell my story so if anyone who is reading this is every contacted out of the blue by a long lost child, they understand the damage that can be done in the blink of an eye. Make the decision now to open your heart and your arms no matter what. Otherwise you may lose the opportunity down the line. I am glad I reached out to Carlota, however, because I hope now she at least knows I love her and I want to be a part of her life. Thank you SQA!

Written by Mica Burton on Jose's behalf.
(Client ID# 291600)


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Julie Jones worked wonders! First, she found the immigration record for Erica's family. They entered the US on 9/7/1955 from Bremerhaven, Germany. The head of household was William Ahrens, Sr. with his wife Elizabeth Ahrens. Their children were Erika, Helga, and William Ahrens Jr. Their intended address was 241-11 85th Avenue, Queens Village, Long Island, NY.

This was the missing puzzle piece I had been lacking all along. Now that we knew the names of her parents and siblings, we could track the family through the years and locate Erika's current whereabouts. The fact that we had an address also provided another checking point to narrow down the list of possibilities of Erika's that were born in 1941 and 1942.

First, Julie located William Ahren , who graduated from Dobbs Ferry High School. Julie sent him an email and left him a voicemail. He responded 7 days later. He said Erika "Rikki" Ahrens has been living in Europe for the past 36 years or so, and to his knowledge she never have a baby up for adoption. However, he agreed to contact Erika and forward my information to her.

Meanwhile, Julie she contacted Helga Ahren. She responded very guardedly, just as William had. The family had been talking about nothing else during the weeks following Julie's initial contact to William. He did call Erika in Europe to ask of there was any validity to this claim. Her response was "I don't want to talk about this and I don't want anyone calling me to talk about this..."

Julie didn't give up. She continued to write emails and leave voicemails for Helga and William. Then, she received this email response:

"Hi Julie, after consulting with more relatives from my family who were there in 1967, the likelihood of my sister giving birth at that time is nil. Someone who knew my sister might have used her information.

As you can appreciate, I will proceed with caution, as I've discovered a number of scams on the internet. I'd like more information from you. I would like to give this issue a bit of rest at the moment. Perhaps next weekend we can be in touch. Thank you, Helga."

Skepticism and fear of fraud are two very common responses from members of a birth family. This is especially true when a birth mother gave birth in secret and members of the family simply didn't know about the adoption. In today's day and age when internet fraud is so prevalent, it is important to be cautious with one's associates. Understanding their concerns, Julie responded:

"Hello Helga, I wanted to send you an e-mail from the firm's e-mail server so you have additional background on our company. Rest assured that this is not an Internet scam. I work for SQA and am representing my client, who was given up for adoption by a woman named Erika Hedi Ahrens in June of 1967. I believe my client is your biological niece.

A question I have is do you know what blood type Erika is? The paperwork we have from the hospital indicates the mother's blood type. Also, you had mentioned that you wondered if any of Erika's friends had possibly used her identity. If this is a possibility, do you know which friend it may have been?

As of now, all of the information we have from the hospital, court and historical records of New York point to your sister. As I'm sure you can understand, I need to follow up every possible lead until I am satisfied that I have exercised due diligence on behalf of my client, Pam, and have exhausted all leads and avenues.

I look forward to talking to you this weekend. Working together, I am confident we can answer all of your questions. Take care, Julie Jones"

I have never been one to sit by on the sidelines while others fight my battles. I asked Julie for Helga's address, which was only a few hours from my home. On a Sunday morning, I got in my car and drove to Helga's house with my husband. I parked across the street and just stared up the driveway to the front door. Could I really just knock on the door and demand to be heard? Somehow my feet did the walking, my fist rapped loudly on the door, and my mind went completely blank when Helga opened the door. She was a tall, strong blond woman with angular features, eerily similar to my own. We stood staring at each other silently until she saw the truth written on my face. She opened the screen door and said, "Well, come in then."

While we made ourselves comfortable in the sitting room, Helga went to the other room and returned with a picture of Erika, Helga, and William in their forties. The resemblance between Erika and I was striking! Helga sank down in an arm chair across from us and began to tell us about Erika, who adamantly refused to talk about me, but had never directly denied giving a child up for adoption. She is not one to get her feathers ruffled, but on this subject she was out of control, threatening to hire a lawyer against me. This overreaction, combined with our resemblance, convinced Helga that I was indeed a member of the family. We talked that day for an hour and made plans to meet with Uncle William the next week. We made arrangements for a DNA test; though we were both satisfied the connection was there.

Months later the DNA results came back, confirming that Erika IS my birth mother. In the 2 years since my reunion, we still have not spoken. I can only assume the circumstances behind my birth must be negative ones. I may have been the product of rape, or infidelity during marriage. My half-sister was born exactly one year before me and shares my birth mother's married name, so I believe I was the product of an affair. I may never know who my birth father is.

I have no regrets. The best part of my reunion was learning that I have a half-sister named Livia, who lives in Vancouver, Washington. We aren't best friends yet, but we're getting to know each other. Most importantly, I'm so grateful Aunt Helga didn't let skepticism or fear of internet fraud stand in her way. I'm glad she opened her door and welcomed me inside. I hope someday I'll make it past the sitting room and into the heart of the home and my birth mother's heart too.

Written by Mica Burton on Pam's behalf.

(Client ID# 234654)


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Fast forward 10 years to 1998. I'm 28, married and expecting my third baby. Late at night as I toss around in bed trying to find a comfortable position, I start to wonder about the woman who gave birth to me. I am filled with curiosity, excitement, and an overwhelming love for my children. I wonder...What did my birth mother feel in the months preceding my birth? Was she single or divorced? Was she in love with my birth father? Was she forced to give me up for adoption? Is she still alive? Do I have any brothers or sisters? Does she look like me? Does she miss me? At this stage in my life these questions were very personal ones I only share with my husband. Whenever we travel, I pick up a phone book and flip to "Peck" and "Beck." My heart rate quickens when I find a name and address in a new city I've never visited. Is she Linda, Barbara, Jean, Beverly? But at the end of the day, I still feel deeply loyal to my parents and even as an adult I am too afraid of disappointing them to seriously search for my birth family.

Now, it's October of 2008. I'm 38 years old and raising pre-teens and teenagers who all have personalities and lives of their own. My questions have become more like demands. I want to know where I come from. I want to tell my birth mother that I am ok, that I have a good life. I want tell her "Thank you!" for making the hard decision to give me up. I want to tell her I'm ok and introduce her to her grandchildren. I want to know if I have siblings and who I look like. I understand the importance of medical history and wonder if I'm at risk for any diseases. I've done internet search after internet search and tried to find my birth family on my own, with no luck. I don't know where else to look.

My best girlfriend Betty saw an adoption reunion on TV and called me up with the phone number of a professional search company called Search Question America. We talked for hours and I finally made the decision to take a leap of faith and once and for all, answer my questions.

My researcher, Susan Friel-Williams, was a miracle worker! I submitted all the information I had, including my amended birth certificate. She helped me request non-identifying information from the adoption agency and register for the ISSR Reunion Registry.

Meanwhile, Susan searched for all the people who died with the last name Peck in California. She also found several marriage records of women with the maiden name of Peck around the time of my birth. Then, she took each pair of names (husband and wife) and cross-referenced the CA birth records to see if any Peck babies were born around the time of my birth. This left us with 24 women who could potentially be my birth mother. Out next step was to find the specific dates of birth to narrow down the list of possibilities.

Through a process of elimination, Susan found my birth mother, Stella Beck, born in 1952 in Hutchinson County, Texas to Marion Peck and Stella Dunn. We were able to compare information from the Non-ID, (like the fact that my maternal grandfather died in Texas in 1957). Now that we had the right person, it was just a matter of following the paper trail to locate her current address and phone number!

My birth mother is alive and well. She lives in Cal Nev Ari, Nevada and has a current phone number. Susan contacted her first to confirm her identity and ask whether she would be open to being reunited with me. She was shocked that I was calling out of the blue, but she said she had always hoped I would show up one day, and she couldn't wait to get to know me. With my best friend, husband, and children gathered around one Monday evening, I put the phone on speaker and dialed my birth mother for the first time. It was a tearful, joyous reunion. A few months later, Stella flew out to our home in Nampa, Idaho to meet us for the first time. We had a big barbeque outside on the lawn to celebrate our reunion. We could not be happier to be reunited after all this time. It really does feel like I won the lottery!

I wanted to thank Susan and everyone at SQA for making it happen. So I sent Susan a birthday card with a lottery ticket inside. I was hoping she'd win the jackpot so I could repay her for blessing me in my life in such a dramatic way. In the end she won two bucks, and I won two hearts knit together as one.

Written by Mica Burton on Linda's behalf

(Client ID# 221137)


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Yet at the same time, I thought if my mom had wanted me to search, she would have told me about my adoption sooner. I felt that if I searched for my birth family I would be betraying her somehow. Then, a few months ago I was talking to my closest and dearest friend who is extremely psychic. She told me that my mom said to her, "its fine. Go ahead and look. I want you to." From that point onward I knew I had her blessing, so I found SQA this past June.

My birth family was found in just two weeks. I was quite surprised. I thought it was going to take a lot longer. Though I had excellent information which I think helped. Linda and Julie were both so understanding, kind, and sincerely interested in helping me find my birth family. They were absolutely phenomenal and I would 100% recommend them to anyone.

Not only do I have a sister, I also have 2 brothers! My sister's name is Linda and it took us about a minute and a half to break down crying together that first phone call. We have become best friends. I've talked to Linda every day since we both found out. If it's not phone calls its quick emails or texts, 99% of the time on the phone. We are really starting to bond now and it's a very exciting time. My husband and I are going out to Philadelphia to see the whole family in August. I'm very excited.

From how well everything worked out, you would think that the family had known about me all along. Actually, no one had ANY idea that my birth mother had had a baby before Linda. They were all in total shock when Julie called them out of the blue. It turns out that Linda has also always wanted a sister. She may not have had one before but she definitely has one now! We have some things in common, but we're still learning a lot about each other. There is a resemblance between us. I spoke to one of my brothers, John, and he is just the sweetest guy and he said he was going to be there the weekend we are going there, and I'm thrilled to death, I can't wait to meet him. I have nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. They can't wait to meet me and I am just so thrilled that they have welcomed me with open arms.

Looking back, I wish I had searched sooner! I was afraid to be rejected, and that was part of the reason I put it off for so long. But this turned out so well! Within 48 hours I had dozens of friend requests on Facebook.

We're never going to know the circumstances behind my adoption, however. My birth mother passed away a few years ago, and she never told a soul about me. I am just grateful for this wonderful new family. I'm also thankful to my husband, who has been 110% supportive this entire time. He had tears in his eyes when I found out I was adopted, and again when I got the call that my case was solved.

If there's anyone out there who's a little nervous about searching for their birth parents, I say go ahead and do it! It's a wonderful thing to find out you have an entire other family out there. It has really brought me full circle and answered many of my questions about myself. I don't have any regrets, and I could not ask for a better experience, or a more honest, hard-working, caring company! Thanks a million for everything!

Written by Mica Burton on Donna's behalf.

Client ID#289774


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Being abandoned makes you feel like trash, unwanted, unworthy, and ignored. Since I was just a baby, I often wondered if I cried too much, or ate too much, or if somehow I was the straw that broke the camel's back. A part of my life has a huge gaping hole in it. I won't be able to move on until I know why she abandoned us. Why didn't she come back? This is something I need to do to satisfy my conscience.

After she left, my older siblings tried to take care of us. Whenever neighbors asked where our mom was, they always said she had gone to the grocery store and would be right back, or she was inside taking a nap. After a few days the food ran out and we hadn't changed our clothes, so a neighbor called the Department of Children and Families. We were placed in an orphanage for over a year, until finally a relative on my dad's side came looking for us and eventually adopted us.

All we know about our mother is that her name was Sandra Good-Allred. She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. When she left us we lived in Los Banos, California. It was 1964, and she was supposedly married to my dad in Reno, Nevada the year before I was born. He split right before she did, so it's not like he's around to answer all our questions. It's rumored that my mom's father owned Bush Canneries in Oklahoma City at one time, and she had two brothers.

With this information, my brother, sister, and I researched different companies, and finally decided that Search Quest America was our best bet. I called and submitted our information in August of last year. I worked with Julie and she found my birth family on September 10th. First, Julie found out her real name was Sandra Dashiell. Then, she located her still in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but found that she died in June of 1996. What happened between 1964 and 1996? She was married to a man by the name of Wesley in 1966 in Fresno. This was just two years after she left us. From this marriage, my half-sister Kellie was born in 1969. Kellie lives in Yukon, Oklahoma.

When Julie first contacted my sister, we expected Kellie to be dumfounded, maybe even skeptical about us. In fact, Kellie shouted with excitement and screamed "My sister finally found me!" It turns out that she always knew she had a brother and two sisters she had never met. She even knew our names were Dougie, Lori, and Tina. She said the family talked about us often and have looked for us many times over the years. From her tears and excitement, it was clear we were never forgotten and we were never a dirty little secret, as I had imagined. To my surprise, Kellie is one of five half-siblings we will have the opportunity to get to know. I called Kellie back right away and it has been such an emotional, heartwarming experience to learn that I have always been loved and wanted, and that our being taken away was the single event in our mother's life that she has lived every day trying to make up for.

In 1964, after my birth, my mother suffered from postpartum depression, a diagnosis that was never official, as studies of postpartum depression came much later. She was overwhelmed by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, guilt, being overwhelmed, socially withdrawn, and anxious. Although I will never have the chance to speak with her one on one and hear the why's from her, my siblings tell me that she was truly suffering and felt she was a danger to us. She wasn't thinking clearly at the time, and when she came back to find us, we had already been removed and she was not able to get through all the red tape to get us back. Although I can't excuse her for her actions or her absence, I can accept that she was suffering and irrational at the time, and did not intend to abandon us forever. I also truly believe that she looked for us, and based on how she told our siblings about us, I believe she loved us and hoped to be reunited with us someday.

This knowledge has changed my perspective 180 degrees. Understanding why she left helps me lay all my doubts and fears to rest and try to move forward with my life. I am grateful that I have so many siblings to get to know, and that the rest of our family has also welcomed us home. This has been a journey of discovery for me, and I want to thank everyone who had a hand in making it possible. This might not be a perfect story, but it's my story.

Written by Mica Burton on Tina's behalf.

Client ID#277294


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I have tried to get my adoption records from the state but they won't let me know anything about my birth parents. I have the non-ID papers, which say my birth mother was born in Red Oak, IA on 6-26-1933. She was of German descent, and was 5 ft. 4 inches tall. Their name is blacked out so I can't read it. I don't know if my family is looking for me like I am looking for them. I will understand that it's possible there might not be any information available for me. It just means that it was the good Lord's will if was not meant to be.
After a 25-year search, I was very surprised when my SQA researcher, Robert Martindale, found my birth parents in less than a month! Somehow he found out my birth mother's name was Donna. She passed away on June 6, 1992 in her home in Midvale, North Dakota. She was a member of the First Baptist Church.

My birth father's name is Marion Leslie Fiscus. He and my birth mother were married a few months before I was born in 1952. They were divorced in 1954. On the divorce papers, it shows that they had two children, Cheryl and Merlin. Donna was married and divorced a few times in her life. One of her children is named Marcia.

Marcia was the first person Robert contacted who returned his phone call. She confirmed that Donna was her mother and that she had been married and divorced like it says in the records. She also confirmed that she had a sister named Cheryl, and that they would be interested in meeting me.

The day they called me I was out in the back yard pulling weeds out of my flower garden. I hear the phone ring inside and hustled to get it before the caller hung up. When Robert told me he had solved the case and my sisters would be calling me shortly, I felt the irrational need to straighten my clothes and fix my hair. Even though they couldn't see me through the phone, I wanted to make a good impression. I wanted them to like me, and I was really curious about their lives and what they could tell me about our parents.
I am so blessed to be in touch with my sisters. I thank God for pointing me in the direction of SQA. I know now that this reunion is His will and I am just grateful for all the blessings he gives me every day. I pray he will bless each one of you, and anyone who is in search of their birth family, as I was. I know from experience it is well worth the wait and the wondering, and if it's meant to be it will all work out.

Thank you, Cher Schuchhardt

Client ID#272561

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She was 21 when I was born, and she and my father lived in Snyder, Texas. She and my father were married in July of 1970, and later divorced. Stella, my maternal aunt, still lives in Snyder. A few years ago she told me my mom was remarried to a man named Humphrey or Humphries. I am told she had a son named Gregory, who would be 28 years old today. When I think about the brother I have never met, I have mixed feelings. On one hand I want to meet him someday and get to know him. But on the other hand it hurts me to think that my mom moved on, made a new family, and forgot all about us. I'm terrified to make contact with her because I don't know if I can handle it if she rejects me.

My researcher, Julie, was great to work with. She walked me through the whole process and listened to me rant and rave and all of my "what if's." Julie's first step was to research all Texas births and find out my mother's exact date of birth. Unfortunately that was a dead end, and it appeared that I did not have the correct spelling of my mother's name. Next, Julie found Stella, still living in Snyder, Texas.

When Julie got a hold of Stella, she learned that Eva has been MIA since the early 1990's. She was married to a man named Carl Mosley or Mobley, whose mother died and left them a house in Nebraska. Stella was pretty sure they moved to Nebraska with her son, Gregorio. From Stella, Julie also learned the names of my maternal grandparents, Gregorio Ramirez and Eulalia Contreras. She also learned that I have several aunts and uncles. Their names are Natividad, Mario, Eulidia, Maria, Gregorio, Erlinda, Gilbert, and Robert.

With this information, Julie found good news and bad news. She found the marriage record between Eva and Carl. She also found their son (my brother) Gregory, with his current phone number. When Julie spoke with Greg, she learned that his parents were divorced when he was 16 years old, 12 years ago. Unexpectedly, he also revealed that about 8 years ago, she started having serious mental issues, and was committed to Genoa Community Hospital in Genoa, Nebraska. She has been there ever since. Greg was excited to learn about me and my siblings, and we talked over the phone the same day. No matter what happened, it was worth searching just to meet Gregory.

However, it was very unsettling to learn that my mother has been in a mental hospital. I wondered, will she even remember me? Would it harm her mental state for me to contact her? And, what if her mental illness is hereditary?

When Julie contacted the hospital, they of course did not release any information about Eva or even confirm that she was a patient. However they did put us in contact with a social worker, who visited Eva and asked if she knew who I was and if she wanted to talk to me. She did. The next day I had her phone number, and I called to speak with her. It was a gentle, loving conversation. I didn't get to ask any of the hard questions I had prepared, but somehow it didn't seem necessary. I knew where she was, and learned she was alive. I don't know how to describe it, but it brings me a lot of peace to know that she wasn't capable of finding me. Somehow, that's better than thinking she didn't look for me because she didn't want to, or because she didn't love me. I fact, when we talked for the first time there was such love and joy in her voice that I know she must have had a reason to leave us, and I could hear the regret in her voice and the relief of being found. I remind myself that there are at least two sides to every story. Now that I have found her I am finally able to set aside all of my questions and just love her, because she's my mother.

Written by Mica Burton on Ericka's behalf.

Client ID#271043


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After he was born, I remember asking, "Mommy, where's the baby? I want to see the baby." She told us another family wanted a baby because they couldn't have children of their own. She reassured us they were going to take care of him.

Mom died in 1990 from Breast cancer. She never forgot about the baby she gave up; she always wanted to find him. Through a friend of a friend, she learned that the baby's adoptive parents also adopted a little girl three years later. All together there were 3 boys and 1 girl in the family. We also knew they lived in one of the wealthiest areas in California. When I started the search, I knew he might be a totally different person than who we are, but my brother and I wanted to find him to finally get answers to our questions and fill the hole in our family.

I contacted SQA a few months ago, and my researcher, Julie, was very efficient to work with! One minute I was leaving her a message to call me back with an update, and ten minutes later she called to tell me she had found Michael in less than a week. When she first called Michael, he said he knew he was adopted, and all the information he had about his birth family matched the information we had gathered. He took for a few days to absorb everything before he finally called me back, and I was literally waiting by the phone the entire time.

I've read all kinds of stories and seen reunions on TV where the people share this really emotional embrace and say "what took you so long?" In a way I am disappointed that our reunion wasn't like that. In the beginning it was really hard because he has a really great, fulfilled life. I didn't feel like he needed me. He was already happy. He was pleased that I was looking for him and found him, but he didn't have that need like I did. He was the one that was given up and didn't remember the trauma of it. My brother and I were the ones who always felt like we lost something. We're are the ones who watched our mother go into the hospital and comes home without the baby.

Today, Michael's very involved with his kids. He has a ton of acquaintances but not really any friends that he goes and hangs out with. His wife works and has a very prestigious job. She doesn't really have any girlfriends that she goes out with. Their kids are their whole lives. For me, my friends are my life. For them, their kids and each other---that's their life.

I had to wait until he was ready and not push him. We talked on the phone back in December, but he only felt comfortable to meet us in person this past April. We packed up the car and took a five-hour drive to meet this person who was our brother but also a stranger to us. Our first meeting was very calm and cool. His wife told me a couple of stories about how they met. His oldest daughter told me a couple of stories about growing up with him as a dad, and I started to see him more clearly. So it was all good. He's a great human being. That's my entire mother ever really wanted for him, to have more opportunities than she could give her own children. She would be pleased that he turned out as a good human being with an open heart.

My life has definitely changed since we started the search last year. Our relationship hasn't turned out to be the warm, friendly, "it seems like we were never separated" kind of relationship I dreamed about, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been either. I have learned an important lesson through this whole experience, though. Family is about accepting and loving people as they are, without trying to change them to turn them into the person you want them to be. I believe our relationship will continue to get stronger over time, and I'm willing to give him the space he needs and let him come to us when he's ready. It won't be easy, but he's worth it.

Written by Mica Burton on Michelle's behalf.

Client ID#265922


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My mother's name is Ruth Mary Knight or Padgett. Her birth place was Bennington, Vermont and she was 28 when I was born. She already had several children and couldn't care for another baby. My birth father was a war veteran and did not want a baby, so he left. My birth name was Ruth Padgett. I have some health issues and when the question is asked "is it in your family?" and all I can say is "I don't know" it's very unsettling.

I finally got up the nerve to search for my birth mother last July. I talked to my husband about it, and we saved for months until we had enough money. Even though logically I knew the search could take months or years, emotionally I was impatient. From day to day I hoped for the best, then convinced myself the worst case scenario was going to happen. I was a basket case most days. I emailed my researcher, Julie, constantly with worries and concerns. There's a chance she might have put my case on the top of her priority list just so she could get back to working in peace and quiet.
The case was officially solved on September 1st. sadly, my mother passed away on February 2, 2000. I'll admit this was devastating news for me. I sat there silently stunned while Julie rattled off important facts about her life.
Her name was Ruth Maris Knights. She was born June 29, 1935 at Putnam Memorial Hospital in Bennington, Vermont. My grandmother was Annis Adeline and my grandfather was Kenneth Wood Knights, and both of them were also born in Vermont. She was white. She graduated high school.

She was 64 years old when she died in Onslow, North Carolina. For whatever reason, she was autopsied. She was cremated at Jones Funeral Home. Her husband, David, has her ashes. She left behind 3 sons, whose names are Michael, David, and Mark. She also had 1 daughter, whose name was Deborah. You know the carnival game where you take sharp darts and toss them to pop colorful balloons? As I heard each of these facts I felt like darts were being tossed at me. Some bounced off, others popped. The first hopeful news was that I have three brothers. This was the first blood family I had ever known about, and they were still alive. Then I started to realize that they could show me pictures and tell me stories about what life was like growing up with her. Certainly, it wouldn't be as good as meeting her in person, but it wasn't a dead end.

But why was I given up for adoption? Why did she keep three sons and another daughter, but give me up? My mother's husband was able to answer that question. He said he was married to Ruth when I was conceived, but they were technically separated. She got into a relationship with another man and wanted to hide her pregnancy from him, so she moved to Gloversville, New York. He said he never knew if I was a boy or a girl, but that she chose to give me up for adoption so that she could get back together with the father of her other children. Their marriage was off and on through the years, but he loved her. David was not interested in getting to know me personally, but he was helpful in providing the contact information for my siblings. He promised to call them together and tell them about me first, and told me to expect their calls within a few days.

That left me with a few days to process all of this information and figure out how I felt about it. To be honest, I was crushed to learn that Ruth died. I would have loved to hear her version of events and find out how everything really happened. Plus, it sounded like my siblings had a rough childhood and adolescence. Would they understand my need to find them, and would they be open to a reunion with me? When they called, my fears were all put to rest. I talked to each of them individually, and without fail they were open, loving, and warm. They never knew about me, but took the news in stride, better than I ever hoped they would.

Now we keep in touch every week or so. We met in person a few months ago, and although we might never be best friends, it feels great to look into faces that look like mine, and hear stories about our mother. My search might not have turned out as I dreamed it would, and I won't lie and say it turned out better. But I will say I now have the answers to my questions, and I find a sense of relief in that. Ruth, wherever you are, I hope you know that even though I never got to meet you, I hope we get to meet someday on the other side. I wish you would have kept me, but I can understand why you made the choice to give me up. I'll always love you.

Written by Mica Burton on Susan's behalf.

Client ID# 264718


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He found out that day that the couple who raised him was not his real parents. One day, his mom was home alone when a neighbor frantically ran down the hall and knocked on the door. She begged his mom to care for him for a few days "until she got back on her feet." She had a new baby, a girl named Cicelia or Cece, and she said she was going to visit a friend who might give her a job. She didn't come back that day, or that week, or even that month. After three months had passed, she still had not returned. His parents moved to a different state for work, and rather than give Paul up for foster care, they simply made a fresh start with him as their "son." They changed his name illegally, and he was never actually adopted. He never had a birth certificate, but somehow they were able to get him a social security number under his new name.

This revelation was quite a shock for Paul. Ever since that day, he has been searching for his birth family. He is 56 now, and has had very little luck in locating clues that will lead him to his birth family. Shortly after his father died, Paul's mother was diagnosed with cancer. Since he was raised as an only child, he was really stressed out trying to take care of her while working to raise our family. When she passed away a few months later, Paul felt like he had no one left, and needed to reach out to his real family now more than ever.

He wanted to know why his biological mother never came back for him, and what the real story is behind his being given up. His story is unique because it's not a regular adoption case like all the others. He actually does not remember anything about his mother or his little sister. We didn't have much information when we started the search. We just knew his mother's name was Delores Frye and she was a single parent living in Manhattan, New York with him and his little sister. His sister's name was Cicelia or Cece, but we don't know the spelling for sure. His mom also remembered that Delores was born and raised in NY, and she was about 20-22 at the time. Now that Paul is reaching retirement age, he needs his birth certificate so he can apply for social security. He isn't even sure that he has been celebrating his real birthday all these years.

We have gotten all the Delores Fryes off the internet and made phone call after phone call but have had no luck. We are hoping she is still alive or at least to meet his little sister. We have tried everything and cannot locate her. After Paul's mom died, we felt even more urgency to solve this mystery before Paul lost the opportunity to know his birth family.

We contacted SQA and our case was assigned to Laura Bartling. It took about 2 months for Laura to locate Paul's family. Celena is living in New York, and Delores is living in Queens. When Laura first contacted Celena, she was overjoyed! She had always known she had an older brother out there somewhere, and the family was hoping that one day Paul would find them. Within a week of our first phone call, Paul's whole family drove to New York to meet us. They welcomed us with open arms and Paul feels so blessed to have found them. The other day he told me, "It feels like I've been given a second family, and every day I spend with them I feel like the luckiest guy on earth."

This family is so excited to be connected after all these years. Delores was especially emotional when she met Paul for the first time. She told him the story of how she returned for him just days after her neighbor moved and took him with her. She sobbed for days when she found their apartment gone. When she talked to the super, he didn't have a forwarding address, she hadn't left a note, and for years Dolores has been punishing herself for not coming back just a week sooner. Through the years, she made sure that Celena knew about him, and that members of the family never forgot about him. Now that Paul is back in the family, he feels like they have left an open seat at the table for him all this time, and we are just so grateful that his reunion has worked out so well. Thank you SQA and especially Laura for all of your help! We honestly couldn't have done it without you!

Written by Mica Burton on Pam's behalf.

Client ID#248467


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She claimed to have had a relationship with my father before he met my mom, and wanted to offer the family an opportunity to be a part of her son's life. I was flabbergasted to find this letter, and wracked my memory to see if my grandmother or father had ever given any indication that I had a half brother somewhere. Unfortunately, my father has Alzheimer's disease and can seldom remember who I am when I visit him, so I knew I would not be able to get any information from him. I wished my grandmother had told me more about this mysterious Dollie before she died. I also wished that I could find my half brother and get to know him. My father's health was worsening, and I knew if I didn't act soon, my brother would never have the opportunity to meet his father.

My siblings and I got together and decided to hire SQA to locate our half brother. We knew that his mother, Dollie, would be 74 years old, and that she went to school in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in the early 50's. My father's name is Franklyn Booth, and we still have the letter from Dollie. We also know that Dollie had a sister named Marge or Margie who was a hairdresser and had a shop connected to her house. She had 4 or 5 kids and was divorced sometime in the 50's.

Because the events of this search occurred over 50 years ago, my researcher, Julie Jones, turned to the historical documents for clues. She contacted one of my father's oldest friends, who remembered knowing Dollie and who thought her salon was located on Spitler or Brawdy Streets in what was then the Midwest City. She talked to the downtown Oklahoma Library regarding old city directories and they referred me to the Oklahoma Historical Society. In the 1954 City Directory, she confirmed that there was a salon located at 29th and Spitler.

Julie walked me through the process to request the 1954 and 1955 Midwest City directory and a copy of the beauty shops page and the reference by address pages in the back for the 29th and Spitler and Brawdy Streets. I followed her instructions, and the documents were faxed directly to Julie. I remember that a major ice and snow storm had just passed over us, when I received a letter from the Historical Society stating that city directories were not available for Midwest City. Phone directories did not start until the 70's, and the OK Department of Libraries, University of Oklahoma Library, and even the rose state University Library did not collect these records until the 90's. It seemed like a dead end.

Meanwhile, Julie had been weeding through the list of people by the name of Lesley Dean nationwide. She contacted several men by that name who was not the right person. Then finally, she struck pay dirt. She found one Lesley Dean whose father's name was indeed Franklyn Booth. His mother's name was Dollie and she would be 74 years old today. Julie confirmed that Lesley's mother Dollie had even gone to school in Oklahoma City in the early 50's. Case closed? Not for Julie.

Before she contacted Lesley, she wanted to be 100% positive that this was the correct family. She called me and asked me a question I hadn't even considered, "Does the envelope from your grandmother's personal effects have a return address?" I pulled it out and was surprised that I had not noticed it before. The address said "English Ave. Ext, Columbia, S.C., c/o Lee's Trailer Court."It was post dated October 7, 1955 from Columbia, South Carolina. Luckily, the South Carolina City Directory is available. Julie requested the 1955/1956 English Ave. City Directory. From the directory, Julie learned the names of the owners of the trailer park, who might still have records of their tenants. She contacted the nephew of one of the owners, who reported that his uncle was in poor health and would not remember anything about the past, and that the records from the trailer park have been destroyed. He promised to call back if he could locate any additional information. This appeared to be another dead end, but Julie decided to take the direct route.

She sent Lesley and email on Facebook. She wrote: "My name is Julie Jones and I'm an investigator with Search Quest America. I have a client who is trying to locate her brother. All we know is that he was born in approximately the spring of 1955 to a woman who went by the name of "Dollie." Janet's, my client, father was Franklyn Booth. After her father passed away she found a letter written to her grandmother (Franklyn's mother) from Dollie with a photo of the baby, Lesley Dean. So, I am on a quest to find all Lesley Dean's born within the right time frame. You are the only one I can find with ties to Oklahoma City. The photo (attached) was taken in Columbia, SC in 1955. If you could please let me know if this may be you, I'd greatly appreciate it."
While she waited for Les to respond, Julie also located an obituary for his mom, Buie Donna "Dollie." Dollie had owned and operated an antiques and collectibles show in Oklahoma City for many years. She had 3 sons and 3 daughters, and passed away in June of 1998. When Les responded, he said there was a distinct possibility that the baby picture was his. In response, he emailed a picture of himself, and asked me if he bore any resemblance to my dad. When I got the photo, there was no doubt in my mind that we had found my half-brother. The resemblance is unmistakable. Julie gave me his contact information and we arranged to meet at a restaurant last night.

It was absolutely wonderful!! We met at a restaurant. My sisters & I waited inside the front door until we saw him get out of his pickup truck and then we ran to him. We stayed in the restaurant & visited for hours!! This picture, from left to right: me (Janet), Les, younger sister Cheryl, older sister Teri. Our brother, Mike, was out of town and not able to get back in time. But we will have dinner with all of us and our spouses next week.

I just want to thank you again for all your hard work and perseverance!! It really, really is a dream come true!!

Written by Mica Burton on Janet's behalf.
(Client 226030)


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My mother, an American named Terry Lynn, fell in love with my dad, who had recently emigrated from Mexico. They were married in the late seventies. However, cultural differences, financial stress, and my father's questionable acquaintances caused problems in their marriage. My father always felt he was above the law, and his cultural and family background led him to believe his word was law in our home. Being an American woman, my mother was too outspoken and independent for his tastes. They frequently argued; my mother turned to her family in Nebraska for support, and occasionally for refuge.

But that July while my mother was away, my father finally set in motion a plan he hatched months prior. He plotted with family members in Mexico for them to raise the four of us kids for a few years, maybe indefinitely. He packed our bags, loaded us in the car, and told us we were going on vacation to Disney Land in California. Instead, he drove us all the way to Mexico and dropped us off with our Tia (aunt), Isabel. After we crossed the Mexican border, he told us the "truth" that our Mother had left us for good this time. He said she didn't want us anymore, and she was going to go get herself an American family. We cried for hours crammed in the back of that dusty Nissan, and he made sure we really believed we had been "abandonados (abandoned)."

He only stayed in Mexico for long enough to eat a meal, and get a few hours of sleep. Then he turned around and went back to Sioux City, Iowa. I have imagined a hundred scenarios for what probably happened when he went home without us. I imagine my mother was horrified, furious, devastated, or scared. My father didn't return for years. Because I was so young, I hardly remembered him, but quickly adjusted to my new life in Mexico. My only male role models were my uncles. When I was a teenager, I learned that my father had been sent to prison in the United States for kidnapping. I do not know how long he served exactly, but throughout his imprisonment, he never revealed our whereabouts. My mother, being American, lacked the language skills to come after us, and she had never met my father's family, so she wouldn't have known where to look anyway.

My siblings and I really believed we had been abandoned for several years. Then, when my older brother had a huge argument with our father when we were teenagers, the truth came out and my paradigm shifted so that I understood my mother was a victim just like the rest of us.

Now, as an adult, I have a wife and 3 beautiful children of my own. I would like for their grandmother to be in their lives since she lost the opportunity to be in mine. My life would literally be over if they were taken away from me, and I would never stop looking for them. Every day, I pray for a miracle. I pray I will talk to the right relative and get the missing puzzle piece. I have run all the scenarios over in my mind, and I have struggled to accept things I cannot change. Yet, I'm tired of feeling like I wake up to a brick wall every day. I want to just get answers once and for all so I can move on and focus on living the life of an adult, instead of being stuck in the nightmare of my childhood.

I don't have very much information. I've tried asking our family members and our father for information, but they are a united front and refuse to help us. I have my birth certificate with her full name. I know she would be about 51 years old, and she was also born in Nebraska and lived in Iowa. She was married to my dad in the early 70s, and divorced in 1985 or 1986, most likely in Sioux City.

With this information, my researcher Julie and I made progress. Julie discovered that she was born on September 24, 1958. She also found her maiden name, social security number, and a previous address in Omaha, Nebraska. Next, she found an obituary for my aunt Rocha, which gave the names of other living relatives. Current contact information for my mom wasn't available, so Julie got on Facebook and contacted another relative, asking for my mom's current phone number.

Luckily, Angela emailed back right away asking for proof of my identity. Julie emailed her a copy of my birth certificate, an overview of what I remember from 1985, and a picture of me. She also sent the message to my mom's sister, Lisa and her husband, Aaron.

My aunt Lisa emailed Julie back the same day with my mother's current phone number. Julie reached mom's boyfriend first, but he was really excited and promised to have her call back as soon as possible.

That afternoon, my mom called Julie back. She was overjoyed to hear from me, and said she has waited for this day since the day we were taken. In fact, she has kept the name Contreras all these years so we would be able to find her more easily. Julie sent her my contact information and our family pictures, so that when she called me later that night, all she could do was cry softly while I told her about her grandchildren and what she has missed during the last 18 years. We made plans to meet in person for the first time next month, and we have been in constant contact ever since.

I still have mixed emotions. I love my family members on my father's side and I feel loyal to them because I share their name, and they raised us with love and laughter. Yet, I feel that if they had asked more questions, or put in a greater effort, they could have ended this search a long time ago. I have to ask myself what my father may have told them to convince them it was in our best interests to stay hidden.

Either way, I am so happy to finally have my mom in my life again. SQA has not only fulfilled my dreams, but also those of my 3 siblings, and my children. I hope your company is successful so that you will be able to reunite many more families in the future and bless their lives as you have blessed mine.

Sincerely,
Joseph Contreras
(Client ID# 264261)


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When my mother met her birth father, he gave her a photo of he and Nancy shortly before my mom was born. Thankfully, we also have the original adoption records, which were made official in February of 1964. The birth mother's name was Nancy Armonds, and the birth father was Frank Randazzo. Nancy was born in May of 1942, and was 22 when my mom was born in Cook County, Illinois. She was married at the time, but had recently finalized her divorce.
Kristen and Julie were the two researchers I worked with during the search. Kristin worked with a woman named Susan to narrow down my birth mother's maiden name, "Scott." It turns out there was only one "Nancy" who was divorced in Illinois in the right time frame. The woman's age on the divorce papers coincides with her age when the baby was born. However, the man she was divorced from was not Frank Randazzo, so it seems there was an extramarital affair prior to the divorce. Also, the woman's married name was not "Armonds" but "Ammons."

The next step was to search for obituaries for members of Nancy's family. Although there were many people with the same last name that have died over the years, few lived in Cook County Illinois, and even fewer were listed with any family members named Nancy. When the facts seemed to fit together correctly, Julie found current phone numbers for Nancy or members of the deceased's surviving family to ask if there had ever been married to a man by the last name Ammons, or whether she had given a baby up for adoption. One after another, these Nancy's were ruled out.

Meanwhile, I requested a complete copy of the record of the divorce of Nancy and William Ammons, and checked to see if my mom's birth father had ever been divorced. This confirmed the Ammons were divorced March 27, 1963, and Nancy's middle initial was J. they lived in Lake, Illinois at the time. Unfortunately, Nancy's ex-husband William died in 1977, so there was no way to get more information about Nancy from him. Also, the divorce record verified Nancy's birth date, which was another important puzzle piece, and helped Julie narrow down the list of Nancy's.

She also searched high schools in Cook County for anyone named Nancy Scott who graduated from high school in about 1960. She hit the jackpot when she found Nancy in Chicago's Senn High School yearbook from the class of 1960. At last, we had our first photograph of my mom's birth mother. That also meant Nancy definitely lived in that area of Chicago in 1960, so Julie searched the Chicago Directory for that year for families with the last name "Scott." She found one Joseph Scott with a daughter named Nancy. I could feel that we were getting closer, but the birth dates didn't quite seem to line up correctly.
Finally, Julie located the right Nancy. Her married last name is Lewis and she lives in Johnsburg, Illinois. One interesting fact that caught us by surprise is that Nancy was adopted herself. Julie found an adoption notice in the newspaper on the day of Nancy's birth. She verified that Nancy Lewis did graduate from Senn High School, and she was married and divorced from William Ammons. In the following years she married and divorced two other men as well. With her third husband, she had two daughters, Janet and Deborah. Nancy's father was Joseph Skudlarski, who changed his name to Joseph Scott in 1944. Nancy's mother was Sophia Bura, and her parents were from Warsaw, Poland. Joseph died in 1976, and Sophia lived until 2005.

The first person in the family Julie spoke with was my aunt, Janet. Janet she confirmed that her mom graduated from Senn High School and that her real date of birth is May 3, 1942. It shows up as May 3, 1940 because when she was younger, her mother was ill and her father needed her to drive her mother to doctor appointments. Because she was not old enough to drive, her father took her in to get her license and lied about her age in order to obtain it.
While Julie was on the phone with Janet, she sent her the photo I have of Nancy and Frank and Janet confirmed that it was, in fact, her mother. She nor her sister were ever about my mother's adoption, but she said Nancy is a "very private person" who has just recently started answering questions as Janet has recently began genealogy research. Janet knew that her mother was married to William Ammons and that they divorced before her parents married.

I was hoping for a very warm, emotional reunion. Instead, I got a cautious one. Janet indicated that she would speak to Deborah and then her mother, Nancy. She thought that she would be the one talking to her since she lives so close and Deborah is in Wisconsin. She promised to call Julie back in a few days; she wanted to process all of the information and speak to Deborah, too.
When Julie gave me all this information, I had mixed emotions. On the one hand I was very relieved and excited that the case was solved. On the other hand, I was cautious. I wondered what it meant that Nancy is "a very private person." Would she be open to a reunion with my mom and her family? What if she wasn't? Would it be better to tell my mom that she couldn't be found, or fess up and admit I found her, but she didn't want anything to do with us? Also, a few days isn't too much to ask, but with my mother's health condition I was petrified that I would get a phone call in the middle of the night and be faced with the tragedy that they missed each other by "just a few days."
I ended up going to visit my mom that night and telling her everything. We leaned on each other and hoped for the best. Eleven days later, Janet called me. She confessed that Nancy had not taken the news well, and was not interested in meeting my mom right now. This was devastating news, but was softened by the fact that both Janet and Deborah have open hearts and minds and are excited to get to know our family and blend us with their own. We have talked on the phone several times, and I am confident things are going to work out just fine. Now all I feel is a profound sense of relief that I was able to give my mom the answers she needed before it was too late. I hope to live every day following my mom's example. She has accepted this whole situation with grace and understanding, and with the knowledge that she can choose whether to respond with love or judgment. She is willing to give her birth mother as much time as she needs, and she always says no matter what happens, it is better to know the whole truth.

Written by Mica Burton on Terese's behalf.
Client ID# 245302


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2/23/10: I have not seen my mom since I was 4 year old, after my parents' divorce. She tried to contact me through my dad and grandparents who are all deceased now. They refused to allow contact between her and her children. I remember her as being very loving; she was a stay at home mom. I was told she was mentally ill, but I do not remember her being so. I am now 30, and I have been searching for her since I was 16. I have always had an empty feeling since she left, and I even had an eating disorder until I was 12. When she was taken out of my life, I felt abandoned.

I really did not have much of a relationship with my dad. When I was 19 he told me "Don't be surprised if she shows up on your door step one day," but that is all the information he gave me. It is so hard answering questions from my children about why I don't have a mom. I have 3 kids, my oldest daughter has lots of medical problems, some undiagnosed. I badly need our family health history so I can get her the care she needs. I also have hereditary health problems myself. My sister and I both need a mom in our lives. I want to find her before she passes away if she has not already.

Her name is Chung Sik Cho Davis. I was told she was born on February 2nd, but I don't know what year. My parents were married outside of Seoul, Korea, and I have the address in Korea where they lived at the time, and their first address when they moved to the States. My birth certificate from 1979 says she was 24 when I was born, but my Dad always said she lied about her age. She has a sister in the United States who also married a military man. I have her social security number, but there is a man in VA who is currently using it, which seems very suspicious to me. I am told she has an aunt and cousin in the States.

With this information, SQA opened a case in search of Chung Cho. Julie Jones was the investigator that worked hand in hand with Jennifer every step of the way. Julie helped Jennifer request additional documents that might reveal more information about her mother.

3/24/10: I sent off paperwork to get marriage and divorce documents from Virginia vital statistics. I talked to friend that we had lived with when I was very young, before my parents' divorce. She said my mom's sister and her husband lived in California, and that her husband promised my dad a good job there, so we moved. I think that was 1980 or 1981. We were there for no more than 2 years and moved back to my grandmother's house in Harrisonburg, Va.

While we were in California, I had an "accident" at home and spent a good bit of time in the San Bernardino Burn Center. Those records might be available, and might have information about my parents. My sister is having a lot of medical problems, she's going downhill fast and doctors have not been able to diagnose her yet. We really need to know medical records on my mom. If there are any other records you recommend I get, please advise and I will start the process. Thanks, Jennifer

Meanwhile, Julie searched for Chung's sister, who supposedly married a military man and moved to the United States. She discovered that they divorced several years ago, and the military man (Mitchell) remarried to a woman named June Jones, then died a few years later. Julie contacted June to ask her questions about Mitchell's ex-wife, Chung's cousin.

June provided her name, Sun Yong Cho. She remembered Mitchell talking about Chung and the girls. After the divorce, Sun was not allowed to have any contact with her daughter, Karen. This was an eerily similar story to what Jennifer remembers about her mother, Chung. June told Julie she didn't remember anything else, and had no idea where Sun was.

However, later, when Jennifer called her personally, June said that after Sun left Mitchell, she hooked up with Mitchell's brother, Dave Jones, and later she left him for a man named Bob Baugh and went to Texas. Julie was able to locate Bob Baugh and let him a message.

Bob and Sun called back. They confirmed that Sun's cousin, Chung, lived with her sporadically in Alabama. She had dated Dave Jones, but they said she broke up with him and married a man named Terry Anderson, also a military man, in Alabama. At first, they insisted she had gone back to Korea and they had lost contact. Then, after a lengthy conversation, she claimed Chung was happy and living in Alabama with her three kids, but she swore that Chung had never married Jennifer's father, and did not have any children besides the three that lived with her. Sun provided Chung Anderson's phone number.

Julie and Jennifer talked about the situation, and Jennifer opted to contact Chung and her husband personally. All of the information about Chung Anderson matched the information Jennifer had about her mother, but the woman denied Jennifer was her daughter.

4/5/10: I spoke with Chung's husband, but I couldn't really tell if they are telling the truth. Both times I spoke with him he has been very persistent that we had the wrong person. But if that is so, I am really surprised that they have taken as much time as they have to speak with both of us and return calls and emails.

A part of me feels as if they want to throw us on the wrong path, especially after speaking with Chung and her telling me that her maiden name was Cho. That conflicts with what Sun said. I am thinking about calling Chung back today and asking her if she would mind if I send her some photos since she has the same maiden name as my mom, maybe she would recognize someone. If she is my mom, I would think there would be a part of her that would be eager to see these photos.

I had really mixed feelings about her when speaking to her, especially when her 1st question was "Where are you now?" But then she insisted that she was not the one I was looking for. It really upsets me that I did not have a chance to stay in contact with her over the years. My sister and I had a very hard childhood, we pretty much raised ourselves and had to live with a house full of drunks spilling their drinks on our backpacks and school books, we were always getting kicked out of our beds at night so some unknown drunk could pass out in our bed. From kindergarten up, we got ourselves up, fixed our own breakfast and went to school, with no one home to send us. I feel if we had some kind of relationship with our mom, we might have gotten a little bit of parental guidance and a little bit of a childhood, but maybe not. If this Chung is my mom, why would she deny me?

I would like the chance to find my mom to let her know I am not upset with her for not being there and also tell her I'm sorry that she had to go through what she did. As an adult I can see how easily this can happen with a divorce, especially when you have no family to back you up. My sister is actually going through something similar now, hopefully she will not lose her kids. Please let me know if or when you get a hold of the man using her social, I would love to know how he got it.

I also spoke with my uncle over the weekend. For the 1st time, he was honest about my parents' situation, now that my dad is deceased. All of this I had figured out myself, but I have more assurance about my assumptions now. He said when he first met my mom, he really liked her she seemed like a great mom and wife, then my dad began to hang out with a really bad group of people, started partying, cheating, was abusive, etc. My mom became angrier as time when on.

My uncle said in his opinion she was not crazy like everyone has always told me, he said my dad just drove her to get very mean over time. He said that my family members lied in court for my dad. He said she never should have been placed in Western State hospital. He said that when they had her admitted they ended up keeping her for a while because they did not believe the things she told them about my dad. My uncle said she did not tell them anything that was a lie, the abuse just sounded extreme. The deal was with the divorce that the only way Western State Mental institution would release my mom is if my dad paid for her plane ticket back to Korea. My uncle gave him the money for the ticket and my dad took her to the airport either in Washington DC or Dulles Airport in Northern Va. No one really knows whether or not she actually boarded the plane.

He also reminded me my mom did send a huge box of toys for Christmas the 1st year after she left. Now I remember my dad would never tell me where the return address was from. If the box was as big as I remember, I don't think it came from Korea. I remember when I was in 1st grade, I overheard my dad and his girlfriend talking about my mom and then within days we moved. My uncle said he never could understand why my dad kept my sister and I from having a relationship our mom, he only guesses that he did not want us the hear the other side of the story, which I have always assumed also. He also said my mom tried to contact my grandmother on my sister's 18th birthday.

I emailed Sun's husband some pictures of my mom and wedding. He said she did not recognize anyone and it has to be the wrong person. So either we have the wrong person or they are lying. I would think that if my mom tried to call my sister on her 18th birthday, then she would not be completely against us contacting her. I will let you know if I find out anything else and will fax you the divorce papers when they arrives. Thanks, Jennifer

5/10/10: Hi Julie, I am going through all the information I have and everything seems to be purposely miss leading. Try searching another name please for my mom Jo Eun Jung. I was looking through my parents wedding photos and noticed one of them had something written in Korean on the back. I took it to a Korean friend of mine and he translated "Jo Eun Jung," which is a name. There's a chance this could be my mother's real name.

The wedding date on the photos says November 7, 1976. However, the divorce decree says they were married on October 13, 1976. Could my father have intentionally changed the date? Her age, date of birth, social security number, wedding date, and even her name does not match up. It's as if my dad did everything possible to keep me from finding her.

I sent an email to the Korean embassy in Washington DC. Hopefully they will get back with me, there is supposed to be a family history on file of all my mom's relatives when my parents were married. It's a law when you get married in Korea. Is there any way you can search passports? According to my family it was an agreement upon the divorce that my dad pay for my mom's plane ticket back to Korea. That would have been right after the divorce April of 1984. Thanks, Jennifer
5/11/10: I have made a horrifying discovery. I got to thinking about all of these inaccuracies, and wondering whether my dad did this on purpose. Then I got to wondering, what would he be trying to hide? It doesn't make sense that he would go through all of this just to keep me from finding her, so there must be something else.

Then, I went online and searched the National Missing and Unidentified Persons system. Julie, I found the reconstructed picture of the skull of a woman that was found in 1985 in Delaware. I don't know that my mom was ever in Delaware, but the body was only discovered two hours from the Dulles Airport, where my dad supposedly dropped my mom off. What if he killed her and dumped her body? The whole scenario is so horrible and I desperately hope I'm wrong, but all of the facts point to a cover-up and I know my dad could be violent when he got angry. I'm going to submit my DNA for the authorities to match with the deceased woman. It will take 9 months to get the results back, so we can't stop searching. Let's assume it's not her, for now.

I contacted an attorney to obtain a subpoena for my mom's medical records at Wester State Psych Hospital. I ordered my Dad's military records. I also requested my parents' marriage license from Korea. When I have it, I will apply for the marriage registry in Korea and see if I can get a family history record. Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

5/26/10: Hi Julie, I just received the old medical records from the attorney. I'm scanning and emailing them to you now. The records are from 7/2/1979 and they say my mom was 31 years old at that time. I also talked to an investigator about filing a missing person's report. He says he still isn't able to file the report because I need to go through the state police and he doesn't think they would accept it because I "should have filed it when I was 18." He did look into the SSN issue with mom and the guy using it and can't ascertain whether or not it's hers or his. I talked to the social worker who worked my case in 1979 and she's checking her records to see if she has any additional info about my mom.

Then, I went to the social security administration. They would not confirm anything about the SS#, but the lady told me that the number I've been using has the last 4 numbers switched. So we may want to widen our search. Thanks.

Meanwhile, Julie began researching the previous known addresses of Jennifer's parents. She spoke with old neighbors seeking additional clues to the case. She also searched the nation for other women named Chung Cho in a ten-year age range, and eliminated each one as Jennifer's mother.

6/10/10: This afternoon, I found the Craigslist page for Souel, Korea, and posted a message. You never know if someone will contact us. Here's what I wrote: Hi, I am looking for my mom who went back to Korea in 1984, I have not seen her since. Her name is Chung Sik Cho, date of birth 2/28/48. Her fathers name is Won Tu Cho, aka Cho Won Tu, my grandmothers name is Yang, Ae Cha. My grandparents registry address is #110 Munju-Ri, Dong-Myon, Yonki-Kum, Chung-Nam. If any one can, please help me find my mom. There are wedding photos attached and last photos of last seen attached. Wedding photo was taken in 1976, family photo in 1983.

7/14/10: Hi Julie, I wanted to let you know I was able to set up a missing persons report for my mom through the NamUs web site, its case #7700. With the official NamUs case , I was able to contact the Seoul Jungbu Police station and they agreed to help with the case. I'll contact you if I hear anything.
On September 14, 2010, after a 5-month search of the United States for Jennifer's mother, under both the names Chung Cho and Jo Eun Jung, the case was solved. Jennifer received the following email from the Seoul Jungbu Police Station stating that her mother had been located.

7/14/10: This mail is to inform you the results of our attempt to reach your blood-related family (your mother, Chungshik Cho). We found out that your mother has been a patient at a hospital just outside of Seoul. Unfortunately, her health is not so well; she has a hard time expressing herself. We reached your aunt (maternal), Dongsoon Lee, and your family has informed us their will to meet you. Your family resides in Anyang, a city just to the south of Seoul. We will provide your aunt's (Dongsoon Lee) cellular phone number. We would like to tell you that we will inform your family your contact information. We would like to wish you a good luck in meeting your family, and if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

After the divorce was finalized and the plane ticket purchased, Jennifer's father picked Chung up from the mental hospital and drove her to the airport. Somewhere along the way, Chung was very badly beaten, probably by Jennifer's dad. Nevertheless, she boarded the plane and sometime during the long flight she suffered brain damage, probably from swelling or bleeding in the brain. When her family picked her up, they noticed her injuries and rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late to reverse the damage. Since 1984, she had been in a child-like state in a hospital outside of Seoul.

This was certainly am unexpected ending to Jennifer's search. Shortly after receiving the news, Jennifer and her sister purchased tickets to Korea. They visited their mother, who did not understand who they were. They met their maternal family for the first time and were politely received.

I am glad that we finally have the answers we have been looking for all these years. I know now that my mother never sent us a box of gifts from Korea, and she never called on my sister's 18th birthday. But I have also learned that she didn't abandon us, or forget about us, or replace us somehow. She was the victim of a violent crime, probably by our father, and her life has never been the same. In a way, it is a blessing that she doesn't remember what happened, or that she left us behind. Otherwise she would have a whole different kind of suffering, knowing that we were alive but always out of reach. I'm happy we were able to meet members of our family, but disappointed that we didn't make any strong emotional bonds. It's probably due to cultural and language barriers, or maybe when they look at us they see our American father, who sent their daughter home literally broken. At least when my kids ask me why I don't have a mom, they will know that their grandmother would have loved them. I know she loved me, and I know it wasn't her fault. This was a long and difficult journey, to say the least, but we have answers, and that's priceless.

Written by Mica Burton on Jennifer's behalf.

(Client ID# 270491)


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When I was growing up and used to ask about my father, my mom and aunts used to make jokes and tell me my dad was the "Skipper" on the TV show Gilligan's Island. When I was really young, I believed them. In fact, I used to tell myself that my dad was too busy on the Island to come visit me. Then as I got older I became bitter and felt unwanted. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I realized my mom had never been to Hollywood, and asked the question, "Who is my father, really?"

That's when I learned that although my father's name is Alan Hale, like the actor, they are not one and the same man. My mother met Alan or "Mike" in March of 1969 in a naval hospital in Chicago. He was a patient and had been pinned beneath a truck on duty in South America. He was recuperating and my mother helped relieve his boredom by visiting with him for a while.

Later, a mutual friend introduced them and they hit it off right away. They were both working at Railway Express, and their romance quickly developed. They moved in together in May of 1969 in a little house off of Clark Street, south of Train, North of the hospital, in the Rogers' Park area. They were happy together through January of 1970. My dad had odd jobs working as a cook and also an entertainer at a restaurant.

Then, in June or July of 1969, he and a friend were arrested in her car for speeding or driving under the influence, and the police wouldn't let them leave until my mom went to the station in downtown Chicago and identified them. He bounced around to different jobs, and when she left him a few months later he was working in a diner in the Schiller Park area. She also remembers that he had family members in Florida, and used to vacation there occasionally.

My primary concern in searching for my father is to obtain medical information. I am adult now with my own family. I won't deny that I badly needed my father's influence when I was a teenager and in my early twenties, but now I have my own family to think about and I realize how important medical history can be. If he is open to having a relationship with me or his grandchildren, we will explore that road when we come to it. At least once, I want to shake his hand and I want him to be proud of the man I have become.

Thanks to SQA and Julie Jones, I have now been reunited with my father and a few half brothers as well. First, Julie tracked down my father's siblings. His sister, Karen, died in 1998. Next, he found out that my father had a son, Dorian, and may have married his mother in 1969. When Julie contacted Dorian, he said he had not seen his father since 1971 in Chicago. He didn't even remember him, but we had a good conversation on the phone and plan to meet soon. Dorian did mention an important clue, however. He remembered that our father's mother was living in Pensacola, Florida.

Next, Julie found another half-brother, Michael Jr. Like Dorian, he said our dad took off when he was 3 and hadn't been back since. He talked to his mom and then called Julie back with more information. He verified that Mike had been in Chicago at the time, and had been working as a short order cook.

Then, Julie located a man by the name of Michael Lee Hale, who verified that he was in Chicago at the right times, and had worked as a short order cook. He claimed he didn't remember my mother's name, however. He didn't have "Alan" in his name, but all the facts indicated that this was my father. Julie emailed him 3 pictures of my mother. One was of her with me as a baby. One was of my dad, Mike Hale, as she knew him, and the third was one of me today. She explained that my last name is different because I was adopted by my step-father, and that I live in Washington. From there, it was a waiting game. We were confident that we had the right man, it was just a matter of him acknowledging me as his son.

Eventually, Mike Hale, Sr. called Julie back and left a message. He said he got the pictures, but didn't remember my mom, and said the picture that was supposedly of him was too fuzzy for him to say for sure. Next, Julie contacted both of my half brothers and asked them to scan and email pictures of their father. At this point it was just a technicality, because Mike Hale's social security number matched the one my mom had on file from all those years ago.

My mom asked to listen to the voicemail Mike left, and when she heard his voice she confirmed that it is him. In the message, he wanted to know "exactly what she wanted from him." My mom volunteered to call him directly to reassure him that she isn't looking for back child support or anything like that, and that I am only interested in meeting him and getting medical info. When the photos came in from Dorian and Michael, my mom recognized my dad immediately, so we are one hundred percent positive that this is the right man, whether he admits it or not.

I didn't want to come on too strong, so rather than call my dad or show up on his doorstep, I opted to email him instead. I gave him my contact information and explained again that I don't want anything from him except medical information and hopefully the chance to meet him. If he doesn't want a long-term relationship I understand, but I also told him I'm not angry with him for his absence. It's all water under the bridge.

About a week later, he called me for the first time and we had a good long conversation. We have a few things in common and it seems he has lived a pretty exciting life, moving around a lot and working different jobs as a free spirit. The best part of this search is discovering that I have 2 brothers, who have been very open to getting to know each other and me, so that's good. All in all, I'm grateful that my wife encouraged me to search for my dad, and I feel like I can move forward and be the father to my kids that I never had growing up. I take this responsibility seriously and I'll do my best to make sure I am always in my kids' lives, no matter what.

Written by Mica Burton on Jon's behalf.

(Client ID# 247224)

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That's what happened during my wedding. I was trying on my hundredth wedding dress, in a stuffy bridal salon with an over-zealous sales woman hovering by. I stepped out of the dressing room in a gown I had fallen in love with, and was crushed when my mom sat there with a blank stare, and zero emotional connection to the experience at all.

"Mom! This is my wedding, could you show just a LITTLE enthusiasm?" I demanded. The sales attendant bowed out to give us a little privacy for my bridezilla meltdown. "My whole life you have been this frigid ice queen with no emotion at all! I can't stand it anymore! This is supposed to be a mother-daughter bonding experience and you aren't even emotionally connected!" I was on a roll. My feelings had been on lock down for way too long. What happened next was the absolute LAST thing I expected.

She stood abruptly and shouted, "You want to know why I have issues being 'emotionally connected?'" using two fingers on each hand to make quotes in the air. "It's because 36 years ago I gave a child up for adoption and I had to shut OFF my emotions or go insane! And every day while you are planning your guest list for this wedding, all I can think about is your big brother who won't be here!" She slumped down into her chair and both of us fell into a stunned silence.

"I can't believe you never told me...." I sat down next to her, poofy wedding dress and all. I took her hand and she poured out the whole story. She gave birth to a baby boy in Houston, Texas in August of 1971 and has never been the same since. It's amazing how learning one little fact about your life can spin your world on its axis and make you see things in a totally different way. It helped me understand my life so much better.

Now that the wedding is over, I want to give my mom the closure she needs and hopefully meet my big brother. That's why I contacted SQA in January to initiate the search. Julie contacted me right away and I began to get snapshots of my mom's life. I learned she as 4 feet 11 inches tall, and had brown hair and eyes, and a medium brown skin town when the baby was born. She was 19 years old and gave birth at St. Joseph Hospital in Houston. The adoption was handled through Catholic Charities, and the baby was adopted by a black family. Shortly afterward, she had to pull herself together and go to work at Foley's Department Store in downtown Houston.

A few years later, she received an update in the mail from Catholic Charities. They reported that the adoptive mother worked at the cosmetic counter of a department store, and the father was a postal worker. They were in their early to mid-thirties and had adopted another son from Catholic Charities about 2 years after my brother. My brother allergies as a child and he did not like to get dirty. He would often request to change his clothes if his got soiled.

I worked with Julie to request documents from the adoption agency. Once we had them, Julie located my brother. His name is Kevin and he lives in Humble, Texas. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 148 pounds, and has a criminal record. That was a surprise to us!

Kevin had three DWI's, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and in 1991 was charged with Possession of a Firearm on School Premises. Since 1991 he has been clean. In fact, he got married about 6 years ago and was recently divorced. While Julie tracked Kevin through his marriage, previous address, phone records, etc., I could not contain my enthusiasm!

I told all my friends and family that we had found my half-brother. When I told my half-sister, the first question she asked was, "what's his name." She was flabbergasted when I told her his full name, then started jumping up and down and screaming. She said "Oh my god, I think I went to high school with him! He even went to my same church!"

When Julie called back with this exact information and his phone number, we verified all the information and sure enough, it was the same guy she went to school with. I can't believe that this is such a small world! She called him that night and he and I talked for the first time. My mom cried and cried when she first heard his voice, and sat and listened as he carried on the conversation for several minutes while she composed herself.

Since we all live in Houston, it was easy to get together for the first time. I feel so blessed to know to have found my brother, and I feel like for the first time, me and my mom can have an open honest relationship because I understand where she is coming from and why she has seemed cold all these years. I want my mom and my brother to know that I love them both, and that they are a part of me and my family forever and always. Now that we have found Kevin, we won't let him out of our sight! Thanks for all your help!

Written by Mica Burton on Jessica's behalf.

(Client ID# 267220)

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My mother never knew what happened to her siblings after her mother, Hattie WARD, and father, Lester WARD, separated. Lester kept Ann and the other siblings went with Hattie. After 66 years, I was too excited to say, "Pam," from the agency I hired, called on Nov. 29 and said she'd found Rosetta! "Pam" found Rosetta's son, Kelvin, first. After verifying pertinent information, she asked if he thought his mom would like to talk to her sister. He said, "Yes, she's been praying for this her whole life!"

(The locator found their brother, Charlie, first. Sadly, he passed away in August. However, his passing was the lead in finding Rosetta because his obituary listed her as a sibling and used her married name.)

My mother was so happy when I told her!!! I asked if she wanted to speak with her sister and she excitedly said, "YES!" Trembling slightly, I called Aunt Rosetta and said, "Hi, this is your niece, Barbara." All I remember is her saying, "Praise God! God is good; it's a great day today!" I handed the phone to Mother and they talked like it was old times.

Plans were made quickly for a visit; within two weeks of finding each other, they were able to give each other the HUG you see in the picture! There are no words to explain the emotions that filled us all as we watched them. They rarely left each other's side during the 3-day visit. Besides looking alike, they share a lot of things in common. For example, they both have daughters named Sharon!

A Reunion Specialist from Search Quest America, the third party search service provider for TroyTheLocator.com, is still working on finding the youngest sister, Edna Ward.

Story written by Barbara Ward

(CL 281005)

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I guess you could say I'm pretty desperate. I have been trying to locate him for about 5 years on my own and have had no luck. I've gone through a website my aunt went through to find her biological parents but they couldn't find the right person. I've even tried getting my original birth certificate from the lawyer who handled my adoption, but he didn't seem to want to help. I don't have enough information to find him on my own and have done all I can think of to do. I really don't feel my life will be complete until I can find him and talk to him and have my questions answered that only he can answer.

My mother was married to John Lopez in July of 1985 in California. I think he was born in 1965. Their divorce was finalized when I was four or five in Washington, and my mom says he moved to East Washington, somewhere around Wenatche. I also know that at one point my mom had a restraining order against him in Washington, but it's not clear why.

When I decided to pursue the search with SQA, Linda and Julie both warned me that it could take 6-9 months to either solve or close the case. I went into it the search my eyes wide open, even though my husband was very skeptical. He had seen me get ripped off and let down with other websites and companies, and he didn't want me to get hurt again.

Both of us were shocked when Julie called me only 16 days later and told me to grab a pen and write down my birth father's phone number and address. I was so happy! I was overjoyed and ecstatic that he wanted to meet me. Not only that, but Julie told me when she called him, he said he had been looking for me for years, and he was so happy he broke into tears on the phone with her! Although I may have been legally adopted by someone else, there has been emptiness in his heart that matches the emptiness in mine. When he hung up the phone with Julie, he said, "Please call and give her my phone number. Tell her to call me right away!" So of course I did.

I called him "John" at first, but by the end of our long conversation, I entered his information into my phone as "Daddy Lopez." He works for the city of Los Angeles and his job is to "paint the town" and remove graffiti from public areas, like the Hollywood sign. He likes his work and loves his family. I have 2 sisters and a brother, a plethora of cousins I got to meet when I visited him and the family in LA.

It felt so good to see everyone gathered to meet me and celebrate my return to the family. It was so surreal. It didn't feel like I was talking to complete strangers at all. There is no denying people who share your blood. It was like coming home. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I could not have asked for a better reunion with him, or a better experience with SQA.

Even though she hadn't been willing to help me along the way, my mom got on board once the case was solved. She even took the time to make a scrapbook with pictures from my childhood and adolescence for him. He was overcome as he accepted the gift and I loved sitting next to him for hours talking about the things he missed, and sharing my dreams for the future that he will get to be a part of.

I'm proud of myself for not giving up. It took years to finally find him, but my determination paid off. I've been keeping in touch with my siblings, especially my oldest sister. We text and talk on Facebook all the time. They have definitely become a huge part of my life and I'm so grateful that the gap in my life has been filled.

I sent out this card for Christmas with a picture of me and "Daddy Lopez." From the bottom of our hearts, we THANK you SQA and especially Julie for all your help. It wouldn't have been possible without you!!

Written by Mica Burton on Katie's behalf.

(Client ID# 222835)

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My researcher, Julie Jones, contacted me last May. We had a good chat as she verified the information, and told me I should be patient and plan to wait several months for the case to be solved. When she called back three days later I assumed she wanted to ask me a few more questions. I was flabbergasted when she told me the case had already been solved!

Someone years ago told me that there is no such thing as coincidences. Tears come to my eyes when I think about how easy it was to find Hollyn. 2 days after I mustered the courage to send an inquiry to SQA and open a case, she ALSO got online, found SQA, and sent an inquiry of her own! She put in all the information she had and wrote, "I'm compelled to meet the woman who was strong enough to offer me a life she was unable to offer at the time." When Julie opened our case files side by side, it was immediately clear that our stories are one and the same. Although her adoptive parents did not name her Whitney Hollyn, she knew about their plans and the birth name was the key that linked us together so quickly. All of the other information, like the date and place of birth, matched also.

How crazy is it that in a 48-hour time period, both mother and daughter felt compelled to seek out the same company?! I almost can't believe it myself, but it's true. When Julie gave me this news I knew immediately that our reunion was going to go well. My worst fear had been that Hollyn might not want to reunite with me, but once it was clear she was looking for me too, my nervousness evaporated and I knew everything was going to be ok. Better than ok, Great! We have talked on the phone almost daily. Hollyn said, "Thank God they didn't name me Whitney!" and I can't help but think, "Thank God for this whole miracle."

Hollyn and I will finally be meeting the weekend of July 23rd. I am so excited and she seems to be. I just sent her an email and told her that I have reserved us a suite for us. Her husband Sean is coming with her so I will get to meet him as well.

My oldest and dearest friend is going with me. She told me straight up that I was not going alone and she would busy herself shopping while Hollyn and I become acquainted. I will let you know how our meeting goes and I am so grateful that you were able to find her and find her well. You are an angel!

Written by Mica Burton on Sue's behalf.

(Client ID# 288877)


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This is my story.

When I was 25 and preparing for my wedding, I asked my mom for information about my birth family for the first time. I knew she would be angry, but I was an adult and figured it was time to take matters into my own hands. I asked for the phone number of the department of vital records, and told her I planned to call and request my adoption file and look for clues to find my birth family.

She didn't breathe a word of it until the rehearsal dinner the night before my wedding. We were all sitting around the table, everyone happy and excited for the wedding, when she turned to me and said, "Here is your damn phone number and I hope you are better to her than you have ever been to me!" Then she stormed out and I was left to smile and laugh it off for the benefit of our guests. Inside, I was furious that she made a scene in front of all our family and friends, and then I felt crushed and conflicted. How could I search for the answers I needed without alienating her further? We never had a good relationship, and looking back I see that she probably reacted so strongly because she thought I was trying to replace her. She must have felt threatened and in some ways, betrayed.

After the wedding, I did call and request my adoption file, which I received in the mail. From the file I learned my birth mother's name and birth date, and I found out that I had an older sister. This information gave me more questions than answers. A few years ago I contacted an internet search company, paid a fortune, and was ultimately ripped off. They found nothing. After that, I was hesitant to hire any more 'professionals,' yet searching on my own got me nowhere.

Then one day, I was watching TV and I saw an episode of Troy the Locator on WE TV. I went to the website and submitted all of my information. Simultaneously, I was talking to a friend on Facebook and told him about my search. He asked if I was referring to Troy Dunn, and told me that he went to school with Troy's wife, Jennifer. He emailed her about my story, and I went to bed that night wondering if anything would come of it. Sure enough, the next day I got a call from Susan Friel-Williams. Jennifer had worked her magic and convinced Troy to help me. Then, he contacted his trusted third party search provider, Search Quest America. Susan is the CEO of SQA, and she promised that if I decided to pursue the search, she could find my birth family within a week. With that kind of guarantee, how could I refuse?

First, Susan found my sister. Those first phone calls were a whirlwind! My sister's name is Tammy and we hit it off right away. She came and stayed with me for a few days, and a few months later I went and stayed with her for four days. My sister and I have a relationship that's more than I could ask for. We even look alike! We talk every day and text back and forth, constantly in contact. We were sitting in church one Sunday when my mother-in-law noticed we have the same hands and feet. We are different in some ways, however.

I am married and have 2 children, an 11-year-old girl and a 23-year-old boy. I am a religious person and am very active in my church. Meanwhile, Tammy is single and lives with her best friend and her friend's children. She is also a lesbian. When she first told me, I could tell she expected me to be shocked and narrow-minded. Tammy is my sister, and I have searched for her all my life. I could never let this stand in the way of our relationship. I told her "I don't care if you are purple! It really wouldn't matter to me!"

It may have been difficult to handle our differences if Tammy had been brash and bold about her lifestyle, or if I had been overbearing in my religious beliefs. Luckily, both of us are loving and understanding. Plus, it's easy for me to understand why she has made certain choices in her life after finding out some of the things that happened to her as a child. It must have been so horrible what she went through. I haven't had the best life but Lord knows nothing like that has ever happened to me. In fact, Tammy did not grow up with our birth mother, but was raised by an aunt. She never had a relationship with our mother growing up, and they had lost contact with one another.

A few days after I first talked to Tammy, Susan called me and gave me the contact information for my birth mother. I decided to write her a letter. I sent pictures and told her I wanted to meet her and get info about my birth father, if she was willing. She called me a few weeks later, right around Mother's Day. She was really hard to understand because she recently had surgery for throat cancer, and her voice was very deep and gravelly. She did tell I that Tammy and I have the same father, but she said he is dead. She kept saying, "don't be mad at me, I'm a good person." One of the questions I asked her was why she lied on my birth certificate and put a false name. She said it was a stressful time; she was in a biker gang and had a wild life at the time. Something about her version of events left me wondering if she really remembers what the truth is anymore. Over all, it was a very one-sided, awkward conversation. We did not make any plans to meet, and I hung up the phone with a heavy, bitter heart.

I was glum for a few days, but then rallied myself with prayer and realized I have so much to be grateful for! I have gained a relationship with my sister, and that outweighs any disappointment I have encountered during my search. The last thing left to do was to tell my adoptive mom that I had found my birth family.

She is in a nursing home, and I visit her often. Considering how strongly she disapproved of my search throughout my life, I was hesitant to tell her I had found Tammy and my birth mother. At the same time, I wanted Tammy to meet my mom. One day, I took Tammy with me to the nursing home, but I introduced her as my "friend." A few hours after I left, a nurse called me and said that my mom had been going on and on about how Tammy and I look and act alike. Even though I didn't spell it out for her, I think she knew that Tammy was my sister. When I went back and revealed the truth, she was actually thrilled to death for me! I couldn't believe the transformation. I think it's because at this point in her life, she knows I'm her daughter and I love her. She doesn't feel threatened by my search anymore and she can be happy for me. This has brought us closer together. She tells me on a daily basis, "Tell Tammy hi, that I'm thinking about her!" That's more than I could ever have expected.

I know God's in control of the situation and He'll work it all out.

My story isn't exactly the perfect reunion you'd see on TV, but it is what it is and I can accept that. I've met my sister, her awesome friends, and my life is better to have known these people. Even more important, I came into Tammy's life at the perfect time - she needed me even more than I needed her. I feel so grateful for Jennifer, Troy, and especially Susan at SQA who kept her promise and made this miracle possible

God bless each of you!

Written by Mica Burton on Angela's behalf.

(Client ID# 288471)

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I am so proud of the man he has become; he is a wonderful father, an accomplished professional, and a wonderful human being all around. About six months ago he took me out to lunch and blindsided me with a hidden agenda. He wanted to pick my brain about his father, who he has only met a few times in his life. Matt's father's name is Sherman. He was born in 1951, and we had a brief affair that lasted about six months. We did not get married; I raised Matt as a single mother and was later happily married. Now that Matt is a father himself, he has been feeling the need to reconnect with his dad. He is also interested in meeting his half-sister, Mary.

While we were dating, Sherman told me the story of his first marriage. He was only 18 at the time, living in Oklahoma in 1969. He got a 16-year-old girl pregnant. Her name was Robin and he did the right thing and married her. Robin gave birth to a healthy baby girl, whom she named Mary. However, her family objected to the marriage and it ended in divorce shortly after Mary's birth. When Sherman and I were together, one of his greatest regrets was that he had lost touch with Robin and had not been the father to Mary that he planned to be. History repeated itself when our relationship ended and I raised Matt alone. Matt grew up wondering about his sister Mary but had never met her. That afternoon over lunch, he convinced me to help him find Sherman and Mary. I suppose I had known this request would eventually come, and the timing seemed just right.

Finding Sherman was the easy part. I had a string of phone numbers that I had kept over the years from his sporadic visits. As I suspected, however, Sherman had totally lost touch with Robin and had not seen Mary since she was a baby in 1972. He did not know her exact date of birth, social security number, or last known address. We assumed that by now, she would be remarried and maybe even located in another state. Matt was able to speak with his father for the first time in a few years, but still felt a strong desire to locate Mary.
Unfortunately, we had very little information to go on. We knew we needed professional help. We researched several companies and decided to put our money on SQA. We were not disappointed!

Julie Jones was our researcher. She attacked the task with dogged determination and some unconventional ideas. I gave her an old address where Sherman and Robin used to live. She found out who the neighbors were at the time and tracked them down to inquire if they had kept in touch with Robin or Mary. They hadn't. Next, she found Sherman's 5 brothers and contacted them to see if they could remember any additional details about Robin or Mary. She also searched birth and marriage records.

Only two months after initiating the search, Julie located Mary living in Lander, WY. She is married and has a family of her own and until Julie called her, she had no idea she had a half brother. Julie reported that she is very open to contact with Matt. I haven't spoken with Mary personally, but she and Matt have been talking for hours and hours on end. They are Facebook friends and have exchanged photos and talk on almost a daily basis. I always thought Matt's life was full and rich, but now I see that Mary was the missing piece that helps him feel like a whole person. Mary could not remember ever having spoken with Sherman, and she is very grateful to be reunited with her father AND her half brother. Two for the price of one!

I am so pleased with the service we have received. It was a pleasure working with Julie and my expectations have been exceeded. I will definitely recommend your services to my close friends and family as the need arises. I know that you will continue blessing the lives of individuals and piecing families back together, as you have mine. Matt, Mary, Sherman and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

(Written by Mica Burton on Gretchen's behalf.)

Client ID# 275885

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One day when I was about a year old, my adoptive mother was home alone with me and the doorbell rang. My birth parents had shown up out of the blue, a total shock. They appeared to be a happy young couple in their early twenties and introduced themselves as Elaine Mae and Jack Blythe. They were newlyweds and had driven across the state to visit my adoptive parents. However, they didn't just want to see how I was doing. They explained that they had recently gotten married and begged my adoptive parents to give me back so I could grow up with my "real" parents and siblings. I can only imagine the fear and anxiety my adoptive mother felt when confronted with her worst nightmare. Years later when I discussed my desire to find my birth parents, it must have seemed like they were reliving that day over again. I love my adoptive parents and I'm grateful for everything they have done for me. But I also need to know my heritage, medical information, and whether my birth parents are still alive.

Clearly, my adoptive parents didn't just "give me back." However, they did write down some important information about my birth parents, which later was the key to solving my case. They wrote down my birth parents' full names and dates of birth, and the fact that they were married in 1948, one year after my birth.

Over the years I occasionally looked in phone books or on the internet for Elaine and Jack Blythe. I never went so far as to hire a professional or take a more aggressive approach. I thought if fate wanted us together, it would happen on its own. I also held back out of respect for my adoptive parents.
It wasn't until late April, 2010 that I decided I was tired of waiting, and it was time to search once and for all, for better or for worse. I asked myself, what if I have full siblings out there somewhere? What if I wait too long and miss out on the chance to know my birth parents? Don't my children deserve to know their medical history and heritage? I contacted SQA and two weeks later, Julie Jones had solved my case!

Unfortunately, Elaine passed away in 1983 and Jack soon followed in 1986. However, Julie discovered that they had several children, including Jack Jr., Elaine Jr., and 4 more boys and 4 more girls after me! I had hoped for siblings, but never imagined I would have TEN of them! Even better, my birth parents were very open with their children about me, and they always knew they had a big brother out there somewhere. Our parents always promised them that one day I would show up on their doorstep the same way they had once shown up on mine. When Julie made the first phone call, the news that I had "finally" found them spread like wildfire, and before I knew it my phone was ringing off the hook with siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews who can't wait to meet me. It has only been two weeks since that day, and I am still processing all the information. I regret that my birth parents have passed away, but I knew that was a possibility when I started the search. I am grateful that I have been welcomed with such open arms and that finally, the mystery is solved. Thanks to everyone at SQA for your efficient search program, and to Julie for your no-nonsense "get it done" philosophy that wrapped my case up so quickly. I will keep you all posted as I meet my siblings in person and in the process, get to know my birth parents vicariously. God bless you all!

(Written by Mica Burton on Mark's behalf.)

Client ID# 276579

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I know my father's name is Ernest Paul Riddle. I have not seen or heard from him since I was about a year old, or so I'm told. I don't really know if he even knows I exist, and it sounds like he may have reason to doubt my parentage. Nevertheless, he's the only father figure I have grown up knowing, and I really need to hear his side of the story once and for all. I have been looking for my dad for about 15 years but I keep running into dead ends. If he's still alive, he would be about 55 today. He was last seen in Hawaii, he was born in West Virginia, and he was in the marines when I was born. He married my mom in Nevada before I was born. His mother's name is Emma.

When I started this search I honestly had no idea If these details are enough to find a person in the first place. I didn't have his social security number or his date of birth, and I had no idea if he had remarried and had other children. I assumed he moved on with his life and never looked back, though I hoped that was because he didn't know about me, and not because he didn't care. I am a grown woman now with children of my own. I don't want anything from him except answers, and maybe let my kids have a grandfather if he wants to be one.

Every time I thought about searching, it seemed there were a hundred reasons NOT to. I was petrified that the search would turn out badly, that he would be dead, or just tell me he's gone this long without being a part of my life, why bring up old ghosts now? After doing all the research and figuring out how much it would cost to search, I also worried about the money and whether I would be able to pay my rent or buy tires for my car, or a hundred other things that come up unexpectedly in this economy. Luckily I have great friends and family members who encouraged me to take a risk. After all, they said, you'll never know until you try.

I first contacted SQA on April 6, 2011. Just over a month later, on May 12, 2011 my researcher Julie called with incredible news. She asked me to grab and pen and told me to write down my father's address and phone number. She had just gotten off the phone with him and said, "he acknowledged being married to your mom and didn't ask me any questions other than for your phone number. He said he would be calling you." She also gave me a physical description and I learned that my dad is 5'11", 176 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes. When I hung up the phone, my mind started racing. Great, I knew he would be calling me, but was he talking 10 minutes, 10 days, 10 months, or 10 years? Was I honestly supposed to sit by the phone and just wait for him to call? And when he did call me, would he be calling to blow me off, or explain why he's been AWOL all my life?

Luckily, I didn't have to wait long. He called me the next day and we spoke for the first time. I think I expected him to be gushy and warm and "oh, I'm so glad you finally found me!" At least I hoped he would be. In reality the first conversation was a little bit awkward, and it felt very much like meeting a stranger for the first time. I guess it should, right? I mean, we may share the same DNA, but who I am as a person is based on way more than just genes.

Over all, I would say the reunion was a success. We didn't spend much time talking about what went wrong or why he left, which is fine with me. Instead we talked about our lives now. I learned that I have two half-siblings and a step-mom. I told him about his beautiful grandchildren and emailed him pictures of them. We are looking forward to meeting in person sometime over the next few months or so. We are going to take it slow and see where it leads.

I'm glad to finally have the answers I was looking for and I realize for the first time that the truth is always somewhere in the middle between the two sides of the story. I've also learned that you don't get to pick your family, but you just have to make the most of what you've got. I'm excited to do that and I'm grateful to SQA for putting me in touch with my dad so we can start this journey together, one step at a time. It was worth every penny, fax, phone call, and tear shed along the way, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

(Written by Mica Burton on Brianne's behalf.)

Client ID# 276671

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All I could think about was the magnetic popsicle stick picture frame with my Polaroid in the middle that I had presented to my mom last year. I had written "I love you mommy" and glued construction-paper hearts to the corners with fuzzy pom-poms in the middle of each one. The frame was still on the front of our refrigerator, gathering dust. It was one of the many things my mom did NOT take with her when she walked out on us when I was eight years old. Of course, she left ME behind too.

So you can imagine how much easier it was to pretend to be sick and stay home from school. The only thing worse than getting stuck making another Mother's Day craft was seeing my teacher's kind, sad eyes when she excused me from the assignment and let me play with the puzzles instead. No, it was easier to stay home instead. My dad was a smart man and he knew exactly what was going on. That afternoon he took me out for ice cream and that memory is one I will always hang onto.

As I great into adulthood, I wrestled with depression, anxiety, lack of self-worth, and tons of unanswered questions. I needed to know WHY she left, and most importantly, why she left ME. My dad and I were very close growing up, but three years ago he passed away from cancer, and I feel like I am missing another part of me now. I don't know anything about my mom, but I want to find her to see if she wants a relationship with me. It may be a fool's errand, but I figure it is better to try and be disappointed than wonder what might have been.

About a month ago, I was put in touch with Julie at SQA, who picked my brain for information about my mom. It turns out I knew more than I thought I did, and Julie found my mom in less than a month. It turns out that for a few years, BOTH of us had lived in Tampa, Florida. How many times could we have crossed paths? Maybe at a grocery store or at the mall. I asked myself, had I had a conversation with my own mother and failed to recognize her? Julie also informed me that she had a prison record in Tampa, which was a total shock to me. However, it wasn't a violent crime, and I had promised myself to follow the search through to the end, no matter what.

I wasn't brave enough to make the first phone call on my own, so Julie did it for me. She left a message at Patricia's work and got a call back later that afternoon. Julie said she sounded "professional," and promised to call me tomorrow. I hoped that was a sign that she was in front of customers or in front of her boss or something, not evidence that she had blown me off again.
As you can imagine, that was a sleepless night. I tossed and turned and turned all the different scenarios over in my heard. Finally, the next morning I got the phone call I had been waiting for. The first thing I noticed was that her voice sounded so familiar! We talked for hours over the phone and put it all out there---the truth about how I was feeling (joy, happiness, anger, frustration, abandonment) and how she was feeling (regret, relief, acceptance, wariness). I told her about what life was like growing up with a single parent and how much I had missed her. She told me about her life since she left in 1988 and about my half-siblings.

The only thing we haven't talked about is WHY she left in the first place. Believe it or not, after everything is said and done, the why seems so much less important. I hope that eventually she will tell me what happened, but for now I am just so happy to have my mom back in my life again. I think I am on my way to letting go of the hurt and resentment I have felt over the years and replacing it with friendship, camaraderie, and hope for our future.

I miss my dad so much, but I feel like in some small way he must be looking out for me still. I know he would be happy to see me not only get in touch with my mom, but forgive her for all the opportunities lost and focus on the positive, the here and now. Julie and SQA have been amazing, of course, but I like to think that this journey has been guided by a little bit of divine intervention. Wherever this journey ends, I hope it leads to happiness and healing for both me and my mom, and for my dad too.

(Written by Mica Burton on Ashley's behalf.)

Client ID# 278667

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When I was 9 years old, I met my sister Elizabeth for the first time, and then met another sister, Sarah Jane, when I was 12. Both were younger than me, and had been given up for adoption at birth. After each meeting I was filled with more questions than answers, but kept getting conflicting information from my adoptive parents.

In my early adulthood, I contacted the adoption agency and social worker for answers, but the information provided just didn't add up. My non-ID gave a few pieces of the puzzle and the image of my birth mother began to take shape in my mind. I learned that she was 5 foot 3 inches tall, weighed 100 pounds, had brown hair, green eyes, and was listed as "small boned." Her name was Susan, and she was 27 years old when I was given up for adoption. It was rumored that she was a graduate of Texas A & M University and had studied law. She was divorced. Her mother was from Mississippi and her father was from Texas. She had not provided any information about my birth father.

Prior to my birth, she had either 2 or 4 children, the oldest being 10 years old. She named me Johanna when I was born at Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston. The reason she gave me up for adoption was listed as "she already had 2 children she was supporting and didn't feel that she could comfortably support another on her income."

Through the years, I wavered between wanting to find her and be reunited, and telling myself that I could not survive the rejection if it went badly, so I shouldn't search. My sisters and I often discussed the pros and cons. Recently, I was diagnosed with a genetic disease, and the doctors requested family medical information that I was unable to provide. That's when my sisters and I decided it was time to put the questions to rest and search for answers.

We contacted Search Quest America for the first time in September of 2009. We expected the case to be solved or closed within 12 months. Our case was assigned to Julie, who attacked the case like a pit bull, determined to get to the bottom of it. She sorted through information, made phone calls, requested records, contacted possible candidates, all to no avail. My sisters and I all requested our Non-ID, hoping that between the three adoption records, there might be more clues to go on. We learned that our mother had been living in Oklahoma with her birth father, Michael, and her two SONS. That told us we had two older brothers. We also learned that her relationship with her father was short lived, and she came to Houston to stay with friends for my birth and placement. We still did not have enough information to find her. Our 12 month time period was coming to an end, but Julie reassured us that she wasn't going to give up yet.

That's when we approached our adoptive parents for the first time. My parents were understanding and agreed to help in any way they could. However, my sisters' parents did not wish to participate. However, Sarah's adoptive mother remembered that our birth mother had a son between my two sisters named Hans. We could not guarantee the accuracy of the information, but for the first time, we considered that there may have been other siblings given up for adoption other than us girls. Elizabeth's father remembered that our birth mother was named Susan, and he thought we had other siblings named Shannon, Brandy, James, and Daniel. These were clues that helped narrow down Julie's list of possibilities. At this point in the search, I was beginning to wonder if we would ever find the information we were seeking.

In January of 2011, we received our adoption records, which my parents had requested from the county (Thank God for open records!!) This was the missing piece of the puzzle we needed. We learned that when I was born, my birth mother used an assumed name. I was actually born in Pasadena, Texas. My birth father was listed as one Carl Howard. The adoption records provided her real name and birth date, which Julie used to find her social security number.
At this point in the search, we were celebrating! We could feel that the search was drawing to a close, and soon enough we would have the answers we were seeking. A few days later, Julie called with surprising news. Now that we had her social security number, Julie ran a search for criminal records and low and behold, our mother has a record! She was arrested in 1996 for using a fake ID to obtain a controlled substance, and again in 2006 for possession. The physical description on the criminal record matches our non-ID perfectly. To me, that was a confirmation that Julie had definitely found the right person, criminal record or not.

By the end of the long search, Julie supplied me with a plethora of information about my birth mother. I now know her full name, nicknames, the dates of her birth and death, her social security number, where she was born, and the names of my grandparents as well. Julie even provided us with names and information for both my birth mother's siblings, and records of her marriages. I found out that she was married once when she was 16 years old and again when she was 20. Julie even found a photograph that was published in a newspaper in 2005. Sadly, our birth mother passed away on Valentine's Day in 2009, so we will never be able to talk to her face to face or hear her version of the story. I find it very ironic that we started the search in November of 2009, and she was already gone.

We know now that she had 9 children total, and gave the three of us up for adoption between kids #5 and #8. Somehow, she managed to give birth while staying with friends, so no one in the family even knew that we existed. The most valuable information I found through this search is the information for my siblings. Julie helped me take the first step by contacting my brother Daniel. I was relieved and excited when he was receptive to the call. He was the first sibling we called. It was definitely an emotional experience talking to Shannon, Debra, James, Daniel, and Hollis for the first time. They range from ages 38 to 19. Three of them have photos posted to Facebook, and I spent hours poring over their faces looking for similarities between us.
I just wanted to write and thank you for all of your hard work. When I first got SQA on the case I always hoped we would find something but I never let myself actually believe it was possible. I am amazed with all of the information and all of the brothers and sisters! Thank you so much for everything you do. I am planning on getting together with Dan, Shannon, and Hollis in a couple of weeks. I will keep you updated. Thanks again for everything.

Written by Mica Burton on Lany's behalf.

(Client ID# 255871)

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Robert:

My name is Robert Simmons in San Antonio, Texas. I just wanted to give a quick update and another big thank you. I want to share my story as a sort of recommendation for your company. I have been so pleased with the service I received and I just took a trip this past weekend to meet my mother for the first time. If there's anything I can do to support your company, I'm glad to do it. This is my story.

I searched for my birth mother for over a decade. Finally after 10 years of persistence, a Texas judge opened my adoption records, and I received my original birth certificate. This gave me the name of my mother, and I found out that I have a half brother, and possibly other siblings. I have no extended family and desperately wanted to make a connection with my birth family, but I did not know where to turn. I contacted SQA in December of 2010 and gave all the information I had.

I knew my birthmother was named Betty Lavern, had a son named Leon, who was 2-3 years old when I was born. I believed she was from California, and she was 22 when I was born in 1958. My birth mother actually lived with my adoptive parents for the entire pregnancy with me. She called my brother "Little Leon." After I was born, she let to go to California with a military man. My adoptive parents wanted to adopt Leon also, but she said no. She stayed in contact with my family for a few years through letters. But then one day, the letters just stopped, and my parents lost all contact with my birth mother.

I turned all of this information over to SQA and was connected with Susan Friel-Williams. She has years of experience, lots of resources, and most importantly an intuitive mind. This is her side of the story.

SUSAN:

When I was interviewing Robert via phone before starting his case, I asked him to go get his original birth certificate so that we could go over a few things on the certificate.

Robert's parents actually met Betty Lavern, which was a great advantage. Betty and Leon had stayed with them while Robert's birth was pending. They told Robert that Leon was about 2 and 1/2 years old, and that Betty was from California, and that some gentleman had come to get her and take her back to California after the birth. These are all seemingly unimportant details, but were essential to putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

The original birth certificate indicated that Gallagher was Betty's 'maiden' name, but given our experience with Texas birth certificates, I highly doubted it.

Research Documentation:

First, I checked the California birth index and discovered a record of a birth of a Leon Gallagher born in 1955. Right surname, right county, but mother's maiden name was Chadwick. But it fit. So I checked the CA index for females by that surname even though the OBC said that Betty had been born in TX. I found an Iris Laverne Chadwick born in 1936.

Right middle name, right surname, (maiden name) and the right age. In following Iris through the years, I located a marriage for her which listed her giving birth in California to THREE children, but what made me decide that she was not Rob's birth mother is that one of Iris's daughter was born 2 months before Robert, time wise, so she could not be his birth mother.

Since Iris Chadwick could not have been Robert's birth mother, I then turned my research back to a different Texas Birth Index available to research professionals and found three other entries.

These records indicate that there was a Betty Laverne Chadwick born on 07/17/1936 to Thelma Louisa and Charles Chadwick. It also indicates that Betty had two older siblings born to the same parents, James Harall Chadwick and Avis Chadwick.

Now we knew that somehow Robert's Betty Laverne ended up in California. On his OBC it listed the mailing address on Walnut Street in Yuba City, CA.

I called the library in Yuba City and asked if they had a 1958 Yuba City directory, which is an annual volume of city residents listing names and addresses. I actually had to teach the little new research librarian who answered the phone 'how' to use the directory. First we checked for Gallaghers, and while there were some listed, none lived on Walnut Street.

Then I asked her to do a reverse search by address to find out who did live at that address on Walnut Street, and she replied a Mr. Robert Boies. That did not seem to tie in at all with Robert's search, so after we spoke and I gave Robert that name, I went to another line of research, tracking the TX Betty's siblings down in an investigative database.

Remember that address in Yuba City, CA on Walnut Street? Yes well, being the curious sort of investigator that I am (translate that to I love family search puzzles) I found a 1950 Yuba City and Marysville (neighboring towns) city directory on Ancestry.com which is a genealogical resource that anyone can use. I checked for a Robert Boies and came up with a match: Boies, Robert O (Thelma) Forman at SP Company - address in 1950 was R 1036 Hammonton Rd. in Yuba City.

Figuring that neither of them could possibly still be alive at this point, I checked the Social Security Death Index and I found something that tied everything together.

Name: Robert Otis Boies
(Identifying information has been removed)
Mother's Maiden Name: Jolley

Name: Thelma Louisa Boies
(Identifying information has been removed)
Father's Surname: Walden

Apparently after Betty Laverne Chadwick was born, Thelma was either widowed or divorced her husband, and remarried a Robert O Boies, either in CA or TX. I show these subsequent births in California:

BOIES EARL RAY, 1953
BOIES ORA A, 1956
BOIES OTIS LEE, 1951

Although I checked for children born in Texas to Robert and Thelma, after 1949 they do not list the parents full names on the index, so I could not narrow down any additional births.

As I said, I tried to find Betty's siblings and unfortunately located death records for them both in the Social Security Death Index. Their names were Avis (died 1995) and James (died 2002).

It appears that both Avis and James either stayed in Texas with their father, or they were old enough to stay after they got out of high school. They also could have gone to California with Thelma and Betty and then returned to Texas later but it DID give Betty somewhere to go to while she was trying to hide her pregnancy with Robert.

The next step was to contact Betty directly and verify the essential details of Robert's birth. Robert gave me his parents' names at the time of his birth, so that I could ask Betty if she remembered them. I made the initial contact with Betty, who was quite surprised to be found after all this time, but nonetheless eager to meet Robert. Then, I called Robert with the good news, and passed along the contact information for his birth mother and two half-siblings, a brother and a sister.

Robert, all of us here at SQA wish you the very best of luck. Keep us posted and let us know how your reunion goes! It has been our pleasure to work with you and witness your happy reunion with your birth family. We hope this reunion brings you joy!

Robert:

I'm so glad I decided to take the plunge and start this search, and that I found such a trustworthy company to facilitate this process. You really did a great job and I recommend your services one hundred percent.

This reunion has been surreal in many ways. I made a trip to see and meet my mother this past weekend. I met a brother and a sister and for the first time couldn't get enough of the resemblance between us, the shared mannerisms, and the sense of belonging I felt immediately. We are still putting together the pieces and answering endless questions about one another. I feel like a complete person, maybe for the first time ever. Thank you so much for all you have done for me and my family!

(Written by Mica Burton on Robert's behalf.)

Client ID#284670

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Darlene first wrote this email to Search Quest America May 25, 2009. She hoped that she would finally be able to find the answers she has sought her entire life. She was not disappointed. Just three weeks later, when her researcher, Julie first called to introduce herself, her case had already been solved.
"The first time I ever spoke with Julie, she explained that she was my researcher and that even though I was prepared to wait up to six months for my case to be solved, she had already found my birth mother! I was shocked, and so grateful," Darlene said.

Darlene's birth mother Joyce lives in Nebraska today. Unfortunately she recently went through a series of strokes and has trouble communicating. "I am just so grateful that I found her before her health failed even more. I'm grateful she's still alive for me to put my arms around her and tell her that I love her."

Darlene has been blessed to become part of a very large extended family. "My mother's sister was the first person to contact me. We cried together and she told me that the family has thought about and prayed for me every day since I was born. They have always wondered what happened to me and prepared themselves for the day I would find them. I didn't have really high expectations going into the search because I know it was possible that my birth mother and her family may not be excited when I showed up all of a sudden. I could not have been more wrong. They have welcomed me with open arms and I am just so pleased with the way the search has turned out. I talk with my brother on the phone almost every day, and even though my sister doesn't want anything to do with me yet, I know she will come around in time and that is enough for me."

Darlene has been telling all of her friends about her positive experience with SQA. "I just had a good feeling about your company from the beginning. There's just something really honest about you all." Honesty and integrity are increasingly hard to come by these days, and Darlene is grateful to have found those qualities in SQA, "I knew I liked your company from the beginning. My expectations were surpassed tenfold!"

UPDATE from May, 2011

I want to bring you up to date on all that has happened in my life since Search Quest America helped me to find my birth mother in May of 2009. After you made contact with one of my aunts, I called and talked to her. Then my half brother, Bob, who lives with and takes care of my mother called me and we still talk about once a week. My husband and I went to meet my mother, brother, niece, and nephew in Gresham, Oregon over Labor Day weekend in 2009. We have since visited again in August of 2010 and December of 2010.

My mother has had several strokes and her speech is very hard to understand, but I am getting better at it. She has a really good attitude. She just keeps repeating and repeating until someone understands. She has a cute personality and laughs at herself all the time. Slowly, we are getting to know one another.

I also have a half sister, Betty, who lives in Arizona. At first Betty was not interested in getting to know me but I let her take her time and finally in Dec of 2009 she called me. We have talked almost every day since then and my husband and I met her and her husband in AZ in May of 2010. I think she and I will become best friends over time. Our lives have been very different. We are very different, but we can find some common ground. I think we "need" each other. We are both excited to have a sister!! I am having fun being the big sister!

I have also made a strong connection with another Aunt, Luella Davis, who lives in Portland. I have had no additional contact with any of the other aunts or cousins as my mother and Aunt Lu do not speak to any of them. The family is really divided.

I am happy that I reached out to find my birth family. It has been an interesting journey. It will take us time to get to know one another and establish relationships.

I also learned that I am really very lucky that my mother gave me up for adoption. I had a wonderful, but not perfect, life and was able to take advantage of many opportunities that probably would not have come my way if I had grown up in my birth family. I have a very loving extended adopted family. I am super close to all of my first cousins. I just wish I could have told my adopted parents THANK YOU for adopting me. They never wanted me to find my birth mother. I think I know why, but it would have been nice to tell them "yes, Murriell is my birth mother, but you two are my real parents."

Thanks for all your help. I feel much more settled and happier since I found my mother. It's good to know where you came from. I know that this has been a real blessing for my mother, too. No more hiding and I think she is relieved that I have had a good life and turned out pretty good!

(Written by Mica Burton on Darlene's behalf.)

Client ID#245608

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We were together 20 years ago, lost contact, and he was never told he has a daughter. We met in the summer of 1990 when I was living in Dallas. Recently, my daughter has been asking me so many questions about her birth father. I can tell she is in a difficult time in her life, trying to find herself and figure out what kind of person she wants to be.

Now that Syheenah is an adult, she understands that relationships between men and women do not always last. She understands that her father has been out of the picture not because he doesn't love her, but because he doesn't even know he has a daughter. I don't want to get her hopes up or tell her that I am trying to find him, but I'm ready to do the right thing and find Syheenah's father.

I know that his name is Clyde McDonald. I last saw him in Dallas, Texas. I do not know his date of birth, age, or social security number. I know that his father has the same name, but is Clyde McDonald Sr. He has a twin sister named Sabrina, and sometimes goes by Tyrone or "Polo." I think he went to Skyline High School in Dallas, and would have graduated around 1988.

I contacted SQA for the first time last August. My case was assigned to Julie and she found him within three days! Can you believe he is still living in Dallas, Texas? He works for a Dairy company and goes by Tyrone. His sister Sabrina also lives in Dallas and runs a spa. Julie called the Dairy where he works to get a message to him. His supervisor promised to give him the message and he must have called him right away. He called Julie right back and said "I remember Sharekia! You give her this number and tell her to call me YESTERDAY!"

How do you tell an ex-lover that you got pregnant, had a child 19 years ago, and by the way, she's yours? Julie made it easy, and when I picked up the phone and called him, it was like no time has passed at all. He is thrilled to find out about Syheenah, and we are making plans to get together so they can get to know each other. After I contacted Tyrone for the first time, all that was left was to tell Syheenah.

I left a message on her voicemail to come over as soon as she could. She practically broke down the door, thinking something bad had happened to me, or I had some bad news to tell her. When I told her I had found her father, and he wanted to meet her, she was shocked. She screamed and started jumping up and down, and could hardly get her fingers to dial his phone number fast enough. I know that this is the missing piece that is going to give her the confidence to move forward in her life with high expectations. Thank you Julie and SQA for making this possible for her, and for me too!

Written by Mica Burton on Sharekia's behalf.

(Client ID#280230)

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I'll never forget the day, time and place a family member blurted out to me that I was adopted. I was 8 years old. At that very moment, my adopted mother confirmed that neither she nor my father (her husband) are my real mother and father. They reassured me that they loved me very much. My adopted mother continued to tell me that her younger sister, Lalette, who I knew as Tatie (aunty), was my real mother and that she had not been able to care for me so the decision was made to have an in-family adoption. I asked about my real father and was always told that he was somewhere far away.

I loved my adopted parents and I knew they loved me, too. I would always think about and wonder who my birth father was. I still do. During my childhood, I would not mention or ask about my birth father, but that subject was always brought up by other family members with a lot of hushed sounds as if no one wanted me to overhear the questions or conversations. I maintained a very limited relationship with my birth mother, who eventually married someone and had two sons. I never had the courage to ask her about my birth father. My birth mother never shared the details with me either. When I graduated from high school and during my first year in college, with the permission of my adopted mother, I decided to ask my birth mother about my birth father face to face during a trip to their birth place of Tahiti, French Polynesia.

That inquiry turned into a nightmare. I returned to Hawaii with unanswered questions and a bigger hole in my life. My birth mother did not want to talk to me about it. When I returned to college, my adopted father wrote me a 6 page letter telling me everything that he knew and could remember about my birth father. Both my adopted father and adopted mother met my birth father. When my maternal grandmother passed away, my birth mother was only 13 years old. My adopted mother was the eldest of the siblings and was asked by the remaining aunts and uncles in Tahiti if my birth mother could live with her in Hawaii to get a better education and life than in Tahiti. Therefore, my birth mother lived in Hawaii with her sister and brother in law for the next 7 -8 years. My birth father was stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii in the U.S. Army. My birth parents met each other in Waikiki and soon after, my birth mother became pregnant with me.

My birth father was well liked by all until they found out from one of his friends that he was married and had a family in Oklahoma. I have heard many versions of the details surrounding this time period before I was born, but the end result was the decision made to relieve my birth father from any responsibility of his unborn child and to let my birth mother erase this pregnancy or time in her life and to give me up for adoption. My Dad continued to write how both he and my adopted mother were so happy to be able to adopt me since they could not have children of their own.

The desire to know who my birth father is has never left my mind. I got married in 1996 and had my first child, my daughter, Chloe in 2000, followed by my son, Reece in 2002. It was the moment my doctor handed my baby to me in the hospital that I thought about how my birth mother may have felt---holding me in her arms for the first time knowing that she would not be the one to raise me. I have chosen to open up my life to my birth mother and my half brothers. I want my children to know why their birth certificates say Caucasian and American Indian because my birth mother's nationality is Chinese, French and Tahitian. Since my birth mother has been really tight-lipped on my birth father's information, my adopted mother has accompanied me to the Hawaii Family Court systems in hopes to open my adoption records to reveal my birth father's information. We have had no luck.

My birth mother has always told me that she will not and cannot tell me anything about my birth father over the phone or in a letter. So, in 2005, I traveled to France with my husband and two young children to ask my birth mother in person, who my birth father is. Especially now, since I have a young family and would very much like finally know details and information about him. I would love to meet my birth father to see what he looks like and finally agree with my family members that I do look like him. I would love to know about him and who he is, what he's like. I have no ill feelings. If anything, I would like for my birth father to know that after all these years, I have been great. I was raised and loved by the best parents anyone could ever want. When I got married, I decided to hyphenate my maiden name and married name in hopes that my birth father would try to locate me. I would also love to have my birth father meet my husband and my children.

My trip to France revealed very little information about my birth father. I was surprised that my birth mother could even remember my birth father's last known address in Oklahoma. I googled the address, but it came up as unknown or had been re-numbered. My birth mother has little information on my birth father or did not want to give me all the information. I only have a first and last name and that he may be around 60 years old by now.

I used to watch the shows on TV and daydream about how lucky I would be if I were that girl being reunited with her birth father and finally finding peace. Now, thanks to Julie and SQA, I finally have the answers I was looking for. I just called him Monday for the first time, with my two children and husband by my side. We spoke for about 5 hours. It felt so comfortable, as if we just spoken to each other the day before. He is definitely my dad as he was able to fill in the gaps of the stories I was told about him and surrounding my birth and adoption from my adopted parents and birth mother. He has led an amazing life in the military and hearing about my family is equally amazing. I have 3 adult siblings, an older brother and two younger sisters and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins.

We've exchanged email and other information and I'm waiting to receive a picture of him soon. He does want to meet me (and so do I), but we have to discuss further details. When we do meet, I'll be sure to email pictures of that reunion. I'll always be grateful for all the help Julie and Search Quest America have provided me from the start. You are truly awesome!! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!

With Aloha,
Michelle

(Client ID#279001)


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Then I watched a show on television and as I cried over the stories of other families being reunited, I knew I had to try one more time to locate my son. No one or nothing could fill that hole, until I found my son. And so my new journey began.

I started by writing a letter to SQA to help me. I received a call about three months later, stating that they would help me as they could now do research in Illinois. They told me it would take 60-90 days to find him, but they were confident they could do it.

By July 23, I was notified of his name and where he lived - 5 minutes from where my family had lived. My oldest daughter gave me some startling news - she knew him and had been a good friend of his in high school, however, they never knew they were siblings.

My son was the oldest at 45, my daughter is 44, my other son is 42 and my youngest daughter is 40. I also raised a step-son, who was older than those four. My step son still lives in Illinois, but the rest of us live in the State of Washington.

On September 16th, all of us decided to go to Illinois to meet with my "new" son. Here are the pictures of the whole family together. Also, is a picture of my son and I, and my two "new" granddaughters and I. He also has a 5 year old daughter. Here is a picture of her and her "new" Aunt (who knew him in
high school). This was a marvelous 4 days of visiting and having all the family together again.

On our way to the airport, we were invited to a wonderful breakfast at his adoptive mother's home. She was such a sweetheart. She showed my albums and told me all about my son. His adopted father had passed away several years ago. I am so grateful that he had been raised by a great set of parents and that his mother was willing to share him with me.

To make it short, we had an unforgettable time and he was so receptive. I give the glory to God for that. As I was getting into the car to go to the airport to return to Washington, he called, "Mom" and I said "yes" and he said "YOU FOUND ME". Yes, I did and I thank Search Quest for making that possible.

Connie Sheehan

(Client ID# 278403)


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I know his name is John Woodruff. He was last seen in New York somewhere, and would be about 62 today. I think I remember hearing that he moved from Boston State University in Massachusetts to Rochester, New York in the December of 1971. He and my mother did not even date for a year before she got pregnant. They went to school together from 70-71. I have one photo of him with my mother, which as you can imagine is pretty worn by now. He is a black with light skin, medium thin build, about 6 foot 4 inches tall. At the time they dated, he has light brown, almost reddish hair. They look happy.

I have tried doing internet searches, looking on Facebook, and even flipping open phone books every now and again hoping that by chance I will run into the right John Woodruff. Every time it turns out to be the wrong person, I tell myself it was a long shot anyway, but I feel the hole in my chest getting wider each time. I am ready to find out for real what happened and why he left me. That's why I contacted SQA in April. Julie Jones helped pick my brain and straighten out all the facts of the case.

Julie spoke with my mom and found out that my they met at a part in Boston, but John Woodruff did not attend Boston State College. He said he was going to Ohio State. She remembered an old address of his on Risley Place in New Rochelle, New York. Julie searched through city directories and found the people living at that address in 1970 were Hattie and John Woodruff, my grandparents. Julie also found out that this John Woodruff was the same John Woodruff who was a Gold medal Olympian in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

This entry in the directory led her to my father's current location and phone number. He is alive and well, and is an attorney practicing in Brooklyn. All of a sudden I realized that my father was only a phone call away. I panicked! I couldn't seem to pick up the phone and had no idea what I would say. Julie walked me through the process, and asked me to write down what I want him to know about me when she made the initial contact. I still have the email I sent her.

It says: "I'm okay! I don't want anything from him I just want to hopefully meet my biological father and learn about the other half of my family. I have always felt like there was something missing in my life and I know it is not knowing him and the rest of my family. I have always wondered about him but I guess I was afraid to really act on searching for him, well since becoming a father myself I just feel like it is time to at least try. My only real fear right now is that he will not want anything to do with me, but I am hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. I guess I will have to move on if he is not interested in knowing me or doesn't accept me. At the very least I want him to know about me and what I have done with life thus far.

I was born January 16, 1972. My mother's name is Carol. Her family was from Lynn, Massachusetts.

I graduated from Peabody Veterans Memorial High School class of 1990 in Massachusetts (15 minutes North of Boston), I played Football, but I excelled at Track, specifically High Hurdles and Triple Jump.

I was amazed to learn about my grandfather being a Gold medal Olympian in the 1936 Berlin Olympics no less. I even wrote a book report on Jesse Owens' role in those Olympic games when I was in the 6th or 7th grade. I was an art major in high school, but I really wanted to go into Law Enforcement.

I graduated from The Police Academy in December 1997 and I have been a Police Officer ever since. Since 2001 I have been a detective. I have been married to my wife Jessica for 7 years this May, but we have been together for 12 years. We have 2 children (his grandchildren) Lila who is 5 and Allison who is 3. I do have questions that I hope he will be willing to answer, but ultimately I just hope he just give this a chance."

Julie called him the next day at his office and left a message. He called back that afternoon and asked Julie to have me call him. She said his tone was "professional, but receptive." Our first conversation was surreal for me. My father is a man I can be proud of, and I hope he can be proud of the man I have become as well.

All throughout this case I kept waiting for answers, and at times I just wanted it to be over, one way or another. Now that I have found my father, I realize that this journey is just beginning. I have siblings I have never met, my dad has two beautiful granddaughters who can't wait to meet him, and we have about 40 years of my life to catch up on. I just want to say Thank You to Julie and SQA for making this possible. For the first time, I feel like a whole person and I have you to thank for that!

Written by Mica Burton on Oren's behalf.

(Client ID# 266806)


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Written by Mica Burton on Tracy's behalf.

(Client ID# 270068)


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He wrote, "Carolyn is my half-sister. My father Bobby, lost contact with her after he divorced her mother, Anna. My father remarried my mother in 1971 after I was born. My dad says he does have a copy of Carolyn's birth certificate. He said she was born in New York, New York and their address at the time was 1000 Villa Avenue in the Bronx. Bobby and Anna were married in New York, New York (in the Bronx) in 1958. I hope this additional information helps with our search. I have never met Carolyn and would like to find this missing piece of my family for myself and my father."

Brett's case was assigned to Julie Jones. Over the next two weeks, Julie searched through public records and located Carolyn living in Staten Island, New York. When Julie first called Carolyn and explained the reason for her call, Carolyn hung up on her! It's not every day that you get a phone call from an investigator who tells you your long lost brother is trying to locate you. She thought it was a scam. Luckily, Julie is not easily dissuaded. She located Carolyn's son, Michael via MySpace. She wrote him a message explaining the reason for her call, and asking Michael to pass the message along to him mom. She wrote, "If you could please let your mom know why I was trying to contact her, I'd be extremely grateful. Bobby and Brett have no idea what Carolyn was told over the years, but at the time of the divorce I can assure you that Anna told Bobby 'You'll never see your daughter, again.' He's spent decades looking for her. Please have your mom call me ASAP."

Michael did pass the message on to his mom, and Carolyn finally called Julie to learn about her father and the half-brother she never knew she had. A few months later, she wrote this note to Julie:

"Dear Julie, this past April you and your firm contacted me on behalf of my brother Brett and my Dad Bob. I wanted to let you know that on July 4th my brother Brett and my Dad made a car trip to NY to meet me and get to know me and spent 4 whole days here in NY. We all thought it would be better if the three of us spent time together first before including the other family members.

Let me tell you Julie that this has been a life changing experience for me. I never thought the day would come that my Dad would be sitting in the same room with me drinking coffee and holding my hand. My brother Brett is a wonderful brother and human being. There are really no words to express my heart's content. I thank you so much for locating me, even though I was very skeptical in the beginning. To think that a brother I never met went through all this trouble and expense to locate me is humbling to say the least. I plan on visiting my Dad and brother this month for a yearly family reunion. All is going very well. Once again I want to thank you for locating me and for all your patience. Words can never express my gratitude. Sincerely, Carolyn."

Thanks to Brett's patience, Julie's ingenuity, and Michael's MySpace page, this family was pieced back together and a 30-year search has come to a happy close.

Written by Mica Burton on behalf of Brett, Bobby, and Carolyn.

(Client ID# 270893)


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The case was assigned to SQA researcher Patty, who located Mike's birth mother Ginny living in Las Vegas. Ginny was happily married with a son and a daughter, who were not aware that Ginny had given a son up for adoption. Nevertheless, Ginny was very open to reuniting with Mike and providing information about his birth father, Terence, as well. Sadly, Terence passed away in his 20's, but Ginny provided Mike with pictures and information about him, along with the name of Terence's sister. Here, Mike and Ginny describe the experience in their own words:

"I am writing this in conjunction with my birth mother Ginny, and first would like to thank SQA and Patty for the outstanding job they did in handling the search process for me. Patty was relentless in her leads, and handled the first contact between my mother and me with the highest level of professionalism. It took Patty a mere week and half to find Ginny for me after I had traveled other avenues off and on again searching for over 6 years. I just spent one of the most fabulous weekends of my life getting reacquainted with my mom. Thankfully we are only a two-hour plane ride apart! This is now a new chapter in my life that I will cherish, and I feel it will only get better from here. As it turns out this is something we've both wanted for a long time, and I couldn't be happier with the results. We have 43 years of being apart to catch up on! I noticed your testimonials on Searchquest were usually only from one party involved in the search. Ginny and I thought it would be fun that we submit one together. Please feel free to post this in your testimonials. Thanks again!" --Mike

"Michael and I cannot fully express in one paragraph how we feel but wanted everyone to know how thankful we are for Searchquest and Patty. Thank you to Patty for helping my son in his pursuit to find me. The hope of someday seeing my son again was something I have carried in my heart for a very long time. And most of all, thank you to my son for not giving up!" --Ginny

Written by Mica Burton on Mike and Ginny's behalf.

(Client ID# 267037)

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There was a day this summer that I didn't feel like doing much of anything except taking it easy, so I went online and googled the TV program. Upon reaching the site, I realized that I would need to fill out an information survey regarding who I was searching for before I could get full access to the information contained within it. Within a week after the moment I filled out that form, I received a call from Linda Rasmussen at Search Quest America. As I stared at my husband with wide open eyes, Linda explained who she was, who she worked for, and why my case was chosen. She was so very kind and personable that my shock was soon turned to excitement. After we finished our conversation, I turned to my husband and informed him that I was about to find my biological family.

If you haven't guessed by now, I was adopted over 40 years ago when I was 7 months old. Though I had always wondered who my birth family was and what they were like. I never really went beyond the wondering until Linda and Search Quest America made the possibility of finding the answers to all of my questions a reality. Twenty days later, Susan, my case manager, contacted me and let me know that I would be hearing from my Guided Research Partner, Patricia. I gave her all of the information I had regarding my adoption and emailed her the scanned documents my parents were given at the time of my adoption. Just three days later, I had news about my family that I never thought I would have. My life had just opened wide, and I was in for the ride.

Initially I was so nervous, not knowing what to expect from her findings, but Patricia's warm and professional demeanor was comforting. She told me my birth name and gave me information about my birth mother and siblings, emailed me the same information, and waited to hear back from me as to what steps I wanted to take next. As I sat staring at my computer screen, I felt like I was beside myself. It was as if everything froze in that time and place and all I could hear was the pounding of the heart next to mine. In front of me were the names of mother, my two brothers, and my sister. I had a sister. I had a sister, and she was only 1 year and 4 1/2 months older than me.

Well, I called Patricia back and we decided that it would be best that she make first contact. She was unable to contact my mother, so she asked if I wanted to try to contact my sister. I said yes, and in a complete state of preoccupation and the inability to concentrate on literally anything, I waited. I waited while my incredibly supportive husband and children waited with me.

Finally, I received the call I was waiting for, only to find out my sister was unavailable. Patricia wasn't giving up, and neither was I. She made a second call and actually spoke again to a young lady, who proceeded to make a 3-way call to my sister who was vacationing in New York. I had a niece! After her call to my sister, Patricia got in touch with me. I learned that my sister knew nothing about me, but that everything made sense to her. Patricia said that she would get in touch with me as soon as she returned from her trip. Five days later, we spoke for the first time on the phone.

It was incredible! We were both amazed. My sister began to send pictures of the family to me, and I sent pictures of my family to her. I saw her face, my younger brother, my nieces and nephew, and my mother. I couldn't believe it. I had seen the face of my mother, and for the first time I saw why I look the way that I look. That was exciting, but I couldn't stop thinking about my sister, and I found myself going back to the pictures of her. Looking into her face, I felt like I was smiling from the inside out. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times we spoke and texted each other for the next 4 days. It was constant. We decided we would meet on that 5th day. And then Friday, August 13th came.

I was a wreck! What if she doesn't like me? What if we have nothing in common? Will we get along? Is my hair doing what I want, or what it wants? When her car pulled up, a handsome young man came out. It was my nephew and he was so cute! He greeted me with a "Hi Auntie" and a hug. Then my sister came out of the car and our eyes met. I couldn't believe it. I was looking at someone that I was related to; a person that wasn't someone I had made (I have two children). She was stunning, and she was mine. We hugged and it felt like hot chocolate on a cold winters night; warm and perfect. We spent the next hours sharing, laughing, comparing our hands and toes, and finding things that we had in common. Later I would meet my incredible niece who helped make that first contact, who is incredible, intelligent, sweet in her nature, and beautiful from the inside to the outside. My family came home, and later in the evening even my younger brother came through my door with a "Hi Sis," and a big hug. I fell in love all over again. We laughed, played, and told stories of our lives. We were all there and our lives, together, began.

I remember thinking at one point how ironic it was that here we all were, for what was equivalent to a moment in time, and it felt like we had been doing this for all of our lives. It felt as if everyone was used to being together, knew each other, and loved each other since the invention of time. We laughed, shared, compared, and bonded well into the morning hours. No one wanted it to end. And it hasn't.

My sister and I have talked every day since that first phone conversation, and I can honestly say that I absolutely love and adore her. She is such a blessing in my life, as are her family, my brother and his family. We have had several family excursions to the park and to the beach since, and have celebrated the birth of a nephew recently. I am so happy, and I have Search Quest America, Linda and Patricia to thank for it.

So, in an attitude of gratitude, thank you Search Quest America for making this possible. Thank you Linda for making contact with me and starting me on the search for my family. And thank you Patricia for being persistent and so supportive during this entire process. Thank you for giving me my sister. You all have impacted my life tremendously and I will always be grateful. And to my Sis; "Together, together, together, until the end."

By Theresa Hamilton

(Client ID# 279515)

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Some people say that they moved on relatively quickly after adoption, but the process was very difficult for me. I have never married and Carmel is my only birth child. I have always thought about her, but had no knowledge on how to find her, until I found Search Quest America. I am 64 years old and my mother is 88 years old, it is just the two of us. I decided that it is time to find my daughter, before time runs out and we both pass away.

I contacted SQA for the first time on April 2, 2010 and immediately felt comfortable and confident with each member of the staff as I came in contact with them. Susan contacted me to confirm all the information and kept me updated throughout the search. About 3 weeks later, Susan found her alive and well, living in California. Her name is Tina.

Unfortunately, Tina was very difficult to reach. Susan wrote her this letter:

"Dear Tina, Please allow me to introduce myself and tell you, briefly, why I am writing to you today. My name is Susan E. Friel-Williams and I am a licensed investigator with Search Quest America. We are a firm that specializes in helping people who are in search of a missing friend or family member. As such, I am contacting you on behalf of my client, Cheryl, who is searching for her biological daughter. I have tried to reach you several times by telephone, and did speak to you once, briefly, when you were on your way to work. When I called back there was no answer. I have talked to a young man at your telephone number a couple of times and left my name and number hoping that you would contact me shortly. Since you have not, I am writing you this letter.

My client, Cheryl, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on June 3rd, 1966 in the Orange County Hospital in Santa Ana, California. Cheryl was 19 years old at the time of her baby's birth, and was not in a position to provide adequately for her daughter. She placed her baby for adoption through a local agency. This baby, whom she would have named Carmel, is Cheryl's only child which means that for many years she as worried about her child and hoped that she was safe, happy and loved by her adoptive family.

Tina, I know that when I initially contacted you, you did not believe that you were the correct party that I was searching for, however, I did determine that Baby Girl Miller, mothers maiden name Doe, become Tina M. Smith. If you are she, and did not know that you were adopted, I am very sorry that someone did not tell you sooner. Cheryl's intention was not to upset you in any way by contact, but was an effort to hold out her hand in friendship with a prayer that you would take it.

As investigators, we are not able to access sealed adoption records, however there is a reference tool that we are able to utilize that allows us, through a process of elimination, to narrow our research down until we have the right party.

Please give me a return call discuss your wishes regarding a potential reunion with Cheryl, who has never stopped loving you since your adoption occurred."

I waited through April and May for a response, and my optimism slowly diminished. I was devastated, wondering if perhaps Tina was angry with me for my decision to give her up, or had been given false information about the circumstances of her birth. I decided that come what may, I would respect her wishes, but I prayed fervently that she would be open to a reunion. On June 2, 2010 I received this letter:

"Dear Cheryl, I apologize for taking so long to respond to Susan's letter, but I needed time to collect my thoughts and express them without regret.

I've always known that I was adopted. Some people may feel unwanted or struggle with who they are, but not me! I have an AMAZING life! I was blessed to have been adopted by two of the most wonderful people in the world. They have devoted their lives to providing me with unconditional love and endless opportunities. I had a childhood that most people only dream of--a nice home, fun neighborhood, cool parents, pets, countless vacations, a great education, and most of all a loving family!

My blessings have continued into my adult life. I have a fabulous husband, 2 sons I adore and a great dog! I am healthy, lead an active social life and work part-time. But most of all I love being with my family. I thank God every day for the riches in my world! My parents are still involved in my life and I realize even more the sacrifices they have made. All that I am goes back to the fact that I was adopted by two incredible people. I owe so much to them!

To pursue a relationship with my birth mother just seems wrong; almost like I'm not being loyal to my parents or minimizing all that they have done for me. That may sound crazy, but I don't want to hurt them or jeopardize what I have. I hope I'm not being disrespectful because I am extremely grateful for the sacrifice you have made. I thank you for the gift of life and for having the insight to know you couldn't care for me. I have no negative feelings, only gratitude! I hope you'll understand.

Maybe in the future I will think differently, but for now this is the decision I have made. Please no further contact."

To say that I cried many, many tears when I received this letter would be an understatement. My emotions were so jumbled I can't hardly put them into words. I was grateful that Tina had such a good life. I could tell she is loyal, educated, well-spoken, and a caring person. I rejoiced to think that I have 2 grandsons, but the gut wrenching sorrow that I will never be a part of their lives immediately followed. I am relieved to know that she harbors no negative feelings towards me, but was so hoping for a photograph or to hear her voice just once over the phone. I still have hope that these things may come in time.

I wanted to share my story, though it is personal and private. I do not regret my decision to search because I have gained peace of mind to know that Tina is safe and happy. There really was no way to be prepared for this outcome. If you are reading this I hope you will send a prayer our way, so that maybe someday I will be able to embrace my baby girl again, even just once. If you are a fellow birth mother in the middle of your own story, please find consolation in knowing you are not alone, and the courage to accept whatever outcome your story may have, even if it is bittersweet.

Client ID# 274990

(Written by Mica Burton on Cheryl's behalf.)

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Sunday, March 21, 2010

My Journey in Finding my Birth Family:

I've always known that I was adopted and had wanted to know where I came from. Back in 1990, my adoptive mother, Margaret, gave me the address to the San Diego County Adoption Agency to find out whatever information I could. They sent me my Background Information which had some information in it and listed the first names of my birth mother and one of my sisters, but no last names. I found out at that time that the records were sealed so I figured that I couldn't really progress with the search without spending thousands of dollars hiring a private investigator. So I let it go at that time.

When I was a child and snooping in my mother's desk, I found what seemed like my original birth certificate with the name, Jennifer Lee Meyers. I had no idea if Meyers was my last name or not. I never really thought about it. Maybe they named me that instead of Jane Doe.

Over the years, that yearning was still there and it felt like a huge hole in my heart. It sort of went away for awhile when I had my kids because I could associate with them and say, "Yeah, my son and daughter look like me". But after losing my adoptive mother in 2003, I thought about looking again.

And then, my opportunity came when one day I was watching Oprah (in late February 2010) and on her show she had Troy, the Locator who looks for long lost family or friends. I went on his web site and filled out their very short evaluation with my name and my mother's name, where I was born and my birth date. A few days later, Linda from Search Quest America called and wanted to ask me a few questions. She said that the reason she called me was because I was born in California and California is one of the 7 states in the US that they can g research birth records dating back to 1949. She then asked me a bunch of other questions to see how much I knew. Going back to my 'Background Information', I knew quite a bit which would make this search somewhat uncomplicated. She told me to wait about 15 days to process the information and they would get back to me.

I told my brother, Cliff, about this search and he was very supportive. He didn't want me to forget about him in the process. I told him that he was my real brother and that I loved him, we grew up together and have a history.

By the following Saturday (March 20, 2010) I received an email of who my mother was. My original birth certificate stating that I was Jennifer Lee Meyers was actually my real name given to me at birth. Weird to think that I had my family name the whole time! She also told me that I have a set of twin half brothers.

And then Sunday (March 21, 2010) came and what a whirlwind day that was!! The first email that I received from my search person, Patty, stated that my birth mother, Evelyn, had passed away in 1999. I actually cried over that one because I was way too late. I also found out that I had an older sister named Ruby and Patty was going to call her. There was one other sister between Ruby and me, and her name was Vicki. Unfortunately, she just passed away last November, 2009 of cancer. I found out some other pertinent information regarding the family like that I have an aunt named Pam, who is my mother's sister.

After this phone call, Patty was going to try to get a hold of Ruby. Twenty minutes later, Patty called me back. She had gotten a hold of Ruby through Pam. They live in San Diego! She gave me Ruby's email address and told me that she was on Face Book. After that phone call, I immediately looked up Ruby O'Dell and saw her picture. She has the same rosy cheeks as me! I guess Ruby had done the same. Later that evening, Ruby called me. Now that was surreal! Here I was talking with my sister (actually 1/2 sister, but sister nonetheless). She told me that my aunt Pam noticed the resemblance between me and my other sister, Vicki, and our mom. We chatted a little bit and it was real easy to talk with her. I guess we talked for about 30 minutes or so. She told me to look at her family pictures to see what Vicky looked like. I did that, and I was amazed we look a lot alike! It was strange to see her looking back at me. I copied that picture and sent it to my best friends and family, and they also saw the resemblance.

Between Sunday, the 21st, and now (Wednesday, March 24, 2010) I have exchanged a few emails with Ruby and I called her last night. In one of her emails, she wanted to be the first to welcome me into the family and I was very touched by that! I also have my aunt Pam as a friend on Face Book.

They both have told me that they have wondered about me throughout the years. Even Evelyn (my birth mom) wondered as well. I asked Ruby if our mom was still alive, would she want to meet me and she answered "Yes"! That made me feel good.

April 24, 2010:

I had to meet them. I flew to San Diego and when I met them, it was like we were old friends. They were so comfortable to talk with, and we had such a great time. I fit right in (they thought so too). I have another trip planned for August to meet some more of the family. I have Search Quest America to thank for this, I couldn't have done it without them!!

I started this search back in 1991 but couldn't go further because there was no internet (I didn't know how to start) and I didn't have the money. I'm sorry that I couldn't because I could have met my mother and sister, Vicki, but as Ruby said so eloquently in an email, she felt like our mom was in heaven looking down with Vicki and smiling, probably wishing they were here or that this could have happened years ago. Me too! But I'm happy that I have found them at last!

Alice Romano

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I wonder what kind of man could just abandon his son like that. When I was a kid I used to wonder if I had done something wrong or if maybe he had another family he liked better or something. I've learned to put these questions to rest and ask the more important ones--what do I need to know to move forward with my life and be a better father and husband that he was? I guess my goal in searching for him was to find the answer to that question.

From the day I contacted Search Quest America to the day the case was solved was 26 days. My case was assigned to Julie Jones, who was awesome! She put me at ease and spoke frankly. She told me about some cases she has had that worked out great and a couple others that didn't. That helped me understand that anything can happen, but in the end I decided it is better to get bad news that go on wondering my whole life.

A few weeks into the search, Julie called with bad news--my father passed away back in February of 1992. I had told myself I was ready for bad news if it came, but I don't think you can ever be ready for that. I was so excited about meeting my father, and then found out that I will never have that chance. He was on the go for most of his life, so the goal became finding a living relative or perhaps a sibling who could help answer my questions.

A few days later she called to let me know the good news. I have a half brother named Jeff. She got in touch with him and found out that like me, his mom got pregnant at a young age and his dad (our dad) left when he was a kid, only 4 years old. We have both been asking ourselves the same questions our whole lives. Jeff never spoke with or heard from him after he left.

I wrestled with feelings of disappointment for a few days, and then I called Jeff. He is an outgoing, happy guy and we have lots of stuff in common. We even look alike! It's true that he can't shed much light on our father's life or who he was as a person, getting to know him could help me get to know myself better. It shows me that I'm not alone and I wasn't rejected because I did something wrong. It was our dad's M.O. I guess. It looks like we even have a couple half sisters out there still to find. This isn't exactly the ending I was expecting, but I am grateful. I guess what we want isn't always what we need. I set out to find my birth father, but found my brother instead. I can't ask for more since we are on our way to being good friends. Thanks SQA for helping make this whole thing possible. I couldn't have done it alone. You guys are the best!

(Written by Mica Burton on Dennis' behalf.)

Client ID# 265574

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When I was 19 I got pregnant. My mother told me that I had to give the baby up for adoption. Of course I was upset but I had faith that everything would work out for the best. I am adopted myself, in fact. My twin sister and I were placed for adoption at birth and we were raised by a wonderful family who loved us. Coming from that background it was easy to believe that Anthony Chris would be taken care of. Relinquishing my rights as a mother was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Almost since the day he was born, I have been searching for him and trying to fill this great big hole in my heart. I did have another son, whom I love dearly, but there is a part of me that has always ached for my firstborn. As my other son has gotten older, he has encouraged me to search for Anthony Chris and we often talked about how cool it would be to introduce them to each other..

About a month ago I came across this company called Search Quest America. I tried to search for Anthony Chris several times on my own. I hired a few companies and did internet searches, but at the end of the day it was always a waste of money or some kind of scam. The first thing I did after talking to Linda at Search Quest America was look the company up on the website. I could see that they were legitimate and was reassured by the fact that the Better Business Bureau gave them a good rating. When I reported back to Linda that SQA has an A-minus, she said, "how dare they give us an A MINUS!" That old me that every member of the SQA team takes pride in giving quality service and that they are not satisfied with anything but the best.

My case was assigned to Chris Tangedahl. Right away I thought it was a sign that things would work out because he has the same name that I gave my son, Anthony Chris. I could not have been more blessed! Only 28 days after our first conversation, Chris called to let me know that he had found my son. The first thing we did was pull up Anthony's profile on Facebook. He is the most handsome man! He has a gorgeous little boy and he is educated and has the best smile!

His adopted name is Baye and Chris searched the internet and found a little bit of information Baye submitted for school. It reads, " My name is Baye Davis and I began Foothill during Spring Quarter 2001. I am a resident of East Palo Alto and a graduate of Menlo Atherton High School, Class of 1999. For one year, I attended Hampton University, a historical black college in Hampton, Virginia. I decided that I preferred the West Coast and returned home to California. What I do miss about Hampton is the many African American students and teachers. I found it easier to approach another student or teacher for help. At Foothill, people encourage you to ask for help but at times it feels like you are on an island when you look around and not many people look like you. When The Griot newspaper was first mailed to my home my initial thought was, Well, there is some black influence on campus but when I first stepped into class and looked around I wondered where all the folks were. Menlo HS had a diverse student body which I enjoyed and I found other African American students who were focused on similar goals. I've taken pre-calculus and accelerated courses while enjoying a friendly competition in regards to grades.

"Currently, I work as a youth outreach worker at One East Palo Alto, a local community organization. As a youth worker, I put functions together and provide positive activities for youth such as the Junteenth Festival and Youth Day. My focus is to get these students more active in their community so that they will inherit a better one."

Can't you just feel how warm and friendly and educated he is! I was so excited that I was ready to pick up the phone and call him, but Chris cautioned me to write a non-threatening letter first. This is what I wrote:
"Hi Baye, My name is Celia and I am your birth mother. I was 19 when I relinquished you and gave your parents a lifelong gift, YOU. I love you very much, think about you all of the time and I am also adopted.

I have a twin sister and you have a younger brother, who is 19. I am married to his father, who is a truck driver and I am a Master Social Worker/MFTI. We live in California near the Capital and are very excited to meet you. I was one of the hundred Professionals laid-off; therefore, I can visit you at a moment's notice. I have been looking for you since you turned 18, and this year I was blessed to find you. I do not want to disturb your life just want to be a part of your life. Please communicate with me. GOD BLESS YOU, Celia."

The very next morning at 8:10 am I got a call from the investigator, Chris, who let me know that he had spoken with Baye the previous evening and Baye would be texting me that morning. The only thing I could think was that I don't remember how to text?! What if I missed it? Luckily, I didn't have long to fret over it. Baye sent me a text message at 8:30 and at 11:00 he was able to talk. That Saturday we went up to see him. He came to the motel where we were and it was so wonderful! Like the heavens and the earth and everything were just in alignment. We hugged for over 20 minutes and it's like that whole in my heart was filled up--like a fire in both of us. I knew that it was real because he held me just as tight as I held him and neither one of us wanted to let go. It was the most wonderful, fabulous experience and I will never forget it.

We have spent lots of time getting to know each other and getting caught up. He's going to come to up here to see me for mother's day. God is so so good because everything happens for a reason. If he was younger, who knows how it would have turned out. But now he's 28 years old and a father and he was open to meeting me. It's a beautiful thing, a beautiful thing. Everybody notices that I and walking around with this big old glow. I tell everyone what a blessing God has given me in my life.

I can't believe it only took 28 days!! The only sad thing about the whole thing is that my adoptive mother doesn't want to meet him or have anything to do with him yet. She's being really mean right now, and that's the only negative thing about it. One person is unhappy and that's ok. Hopefully she will come around over time. I just want to tell everyone out there that miracles really do happen! I am just tickled pink that this all worked out and I hope that if you are out there somewhere reading this and wondering if you should search, or if you should trust this company to help you, DO IT! You won't be disappointed. It will be the biggest blessing you have ever had in your life. Good luck to you, and remember, God is good!

(Written by Mica Burton on Celia's behalf.)

Client ID#270916

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When we contacted Search Quest America, our case was assigned to Julie Jones. Julie worked so hard and was with us every step of the way. I gave her all the information we had about Trish and Danielle. When Danielle was born, Trish worked in an office in Florida, and I have reason to believe that she is still in Florida today. I told Julie everything I knew, including her approximate age and how old Danielle is today. We asked Julie to tread lightly because we feared that Trish would head for the hills if she was tipped off about us looking for Danielle.

The last thing we wanted to do was cause Danielle any heartache, so we asked that before contacting her, Julie needed to make sure that there wasn't another man in her life who she called "Daddy," someone she loves and believes is her father. We believed that Trish probably lied to Danielle about her true parentage, but in our hearts we felt that Danielle should be very open to learning that her "real" father is out there and looking for her. No matter what, we didn't want to scare her off.

Julie handled the whole situation like a pro. She found Trish and Danielle still living in Florida. When the time was right, she gave us Danielle's direct contact information and John made the call. It was an emotional moment for both he and Danielle. They shed tears of joy at being reunited. Just as John had feared, Dani went through difficult times where she felt abandoned by him. It meant so much to learn that John has always cared about her, always searched for her and that he wants so badly to have her in his life.

As a technicality we also bought a DNA kit and sent off for the results. Dani and John were in touch almost daily and then a few weeks later, we got a letter in the mail. We were shocked to learn that John is NOT Dani's father. We were devastated, and very worried that at her young age, Dani might take the news badly.

We spoke to Trish about the situation to get her advice. She said simply, "You don't understand... it really doesn't MATTER what the test results are. The fact that someone out there was LOOKING for her and WANTED to be her father means everything in the world to her. That's all she needs." Those were her exact words - I'll never forget them.

So, we flew Dani up from Florida, and flew up her best friend Lindsay from South Carolina as well, to made Dani more comfortable. We had the most wonderful three days ever! The girls were wonderful, and I believe Dani had the best time ever. We had some Christmas gifts for them, and John had a beautiful little diamond turtle necklace for Dani (she LOVES turtles). We did everything - went into Manhattan, had snowball fights (she had never seen snow), had a huge NYE party at our house, and the kids all got along really well. There was a lot of bonding going on... and we took them on a shopping spree at the mall, which they LOVED.

We told Dani that we were very sorry that the results came out as they did, but assured her that in John's heart, she's been his daughter for 20 years, and that just doesn't go away that easily. So we agreed to be each others "extended" family, and I believe everyone was happy. We're looking forward to having her come back this summer.

As for Trish, no one is going to tell me that she doesn't know who her daughter's father is. I feel that she wasn't truthful with her daughter at all over the years, and I hope she's correct when saying that this was a GOOD thing for Dani. If so, then it was all worth it.

Julie and Search Quest America, how can we ever thank you for all you've done? You have given John closure, and you've given Dani a "father", even if it isn't by blood. We expect to have many years of having her in our lives. You accomplished the impossible. Thank you a million times over.

(Written by Mica Burton on John and Michelle's behalf.)

Client ID# 264049

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Her parents took her to San Diego, California, without telling her the reason for the trip. They dropped her at a home for unwed mothers and then left, not to be seen or heard from again until the day after her baby girl was born.

They came to get Melva to take her back to Oregon, only giving her one minute to look through window at her baby girl for the last time. Her folks were very poor and forbid her from keeping the baby even though she didn't want to leave without her.

After we were married we tried to locate her daughter, but at that time finding her baby was very hard and cost us a considerable amount of money with no results.

I had never seen a computer until my daughter gave me one when I was in my fifties about 19 years ago. Even though I learned to use and repair computers, I still could not find Melva's daughter for her even though I tried.

Melva and I are both 69 years old now, and last year we watched a TV show called 'The Locator' hosted by Troy Dunn. Even though it had been 53 years since the birth of Melva's daughter, we still had hope she could be found. I talked my wife into dictating a letter for me to send to Troy as she won't use a computer. I sent the E-mail letter to Troy's web site and got a letter back saying they were considering it for a show but not to get our hopes too high as they get so many requests and can't select them all.

After not hearing from them for a month I got up at 1 AM and wrote another letter with a lot of information about where baby was born and more. I sent it off to Troy again not telling my wife as I didn't want to see her disappointed again.

About four days later Melva was sitting in her chair in the family room when the phone rang and when she answered, Susan who works with Troy, told her they had found her daughter in San Diego, and she had been looking for her mother too by registering on a registry. It took Melva a while to figure out what was going on as I never told her about my letter, and then the tears came.

After Darlene and Melva talked on the phone several times (long calls), we told all the family. Our 3 boys and the 2 girls who were born after we married. We sent Darlene a plane ticket to come to Bandon, Or.

The 2 girls came from Arizona, 1 came from Florida with our grandson and great grandson, and the boys from Portland, OR. When we met Darlene at the airport I could not believe what I was seeing, I've been trying to find Susan's e-mail address so I could send her the picture I'm sure she would be quite surprised.

My wife says it was meant to be when I decided to send another e-mail at 1 o'clock in the morning without telling her. We will never be able to thank Susan for saying she had decided to take a look and see to see if she could find anything, and the rest is all one great reunion that lasted a week and still goes on and on.

No one ever knew, not even our children or her younger brother and sister. Everyone knows Darlene now because we just consider her a part of our family.

We will never forget what Susan has done for our family, and the great work she does, it would never have come true without her.

Bill


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About a month ago, I did some research and to my dismay, discovered that Amanda's father and grandfather recently passed away. I knew that she would be crushed with this news, so I set out to find information on his children, Amanda's half-siblings.

That is where I hit a dead end. I knew that I needed to either seek help to find them, or tell Amanda the sad truth about her father on my own. I contacted Search Quest America last month, and was put in touch with my researcher, Julie. I gave her all the information I had. I knew that one of Amanda's half-siblings is named Michael. There is also another half-brother, probably named Jonathan, but I think he was adopted by his biological mother's husband. I am 90 percent sure that he was born in Tennessee and went to school in Selmer, Tennessee in 1981. Michael was raised by his paternal grandfather George Barnes, who died in 2008.

With this information, it only took Julie about 48 hours to find Michael, living alive and well in Tennessee. That same day, she emailed him on Facebook and gave me a copy of his photograph. He and Amanda share the same coloring and resemble one another in several ways. Julie also called and left messages with him, as well as his relatives. A few days later he called back and was excited to get to know Amanda!! I am so thrilled that it turned out this way. I am of course sad to have to break the news to Amanda that her birth father passed away, but I am glad I am not going to the table empty handed. At least I can put her in touch with her half-brother, who can help her get to know her father vicariously though photographs and anecdotal stories.

28 years ago when Amanda was born, I never imagined that we would be where we are now. It is crazy how things seem to come full circle. This experience has taught me that life is too short to worry about who was right or wrong, it's about family. A family is defined by more than blood, it also comes down to the people who love us the most and who are there for us when we need them. I hope that by performing this search and going to these lengths to find answers for Amanda, she will understand that I always did what I thought was right, for better or worse. That's the very best we can do for one another, right? Thanks again for all your help!

(Written by Mica Burton on Jane's behalf.)

Client ID# 262751

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30 years ago my brother Harold was involved in what he thought was a happy relationship. He had a son named Richard Damien Lindsey and we loved that baby so much! When he was only 6 months old his parents split up and his mother took him away from our family. He was born in September of 1979 at Eustis Hospital in Lake County, Florida. His mother's name was Ruth.

He would be 30 years old now, and no member of our family has ever seen him since. Harold doesn't talk about the baby much--though I guess now he is a grown man. I see how much his heart hurts for his son, and I want to help put his mind at ease. He wonders if Richard had a good life, if he grew up to be a good man, and what his mother told him about his father over the years. He wants a chance to set the record straight and most importantly, tell Richard he loves him and he has never forgotten about him.

Our case was assigned to Julie Jones, and she was wonderful to work with. From the very first day she talked to us about the case, asked questions we never would have thought about and showed us we actually knew more about Ruth and Richard than we thought we did. She gave us realistic expectations about the search process and helped us understand all the possible outcomes--that Richard might be dead, that he might not want to be reunited, that he might be in jail or that it might be impossible to find him. We expected the worst, but hoped for the best.

About a month later Julie called to relay some information. She spoke with a man by the name of Gary, Ruth's current husband and Richard's step-father. Julie explained to him that she was hired by Richard's aunt and asked for Richard's whereabouts. Gary said Richard recently got married to a woman by the name of Noelle. He was in jail a few months ago, but was supposed to be out and coming to their house for Thanksgiving, but he never showed up. When Julie asked Gary if he knew anything about Richard's birth father, he said he had died several years prior. He was shocked to learn that Harold is alive and well and searching for his son. He took Julie's name and number and promised to get back to her if Richard called or made contact with the family.

Julie gave me the contact information and that night, I called and spoke with Ruth for the first time in 30 years. It was a short-lived conversation. She said that the last she heard, Richard was living in Baytown. She said she really hasn't been in touch with him very much over the past several years. Gary spoke with me and gave me the contact information for the parole officer who might know Richard's whereabouts. I called and found out that Richard is not on probation anymore. The officer suggested that I call Parole to see if he had been arrested. He hadn't. At this point I was very frustrated. It was clear that Ruth did not want me to contact Richard, but without current contact information it seemed impossible to get a hold of him.

Finally, about 3 weeks ago I received a phone call from Richard himself. His Mom finally gave him my message. He is in shock because he was told that his Dad was dead his whole life. He is really excited to get to know him. He said he doesn't look like anyone in his family and has never identified with anyone and always thought his Mom was lying. It was such an emotional conversation and it meant the world to Richard to know that he has always been remembered and loved. I put him in touch with his dad and both of them are on their way to healing after 30 years of separation. I am grateful that I was able to put the two of them together again and it would not have been possible without Search Quest America. Thanks so much for all your help! Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Kara Lynn.

(Written by Mica Burton on Kara's behalf.)

Client ID# 244447

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My cousin's name is Carol Jean and today she would be 64 years old. She also has a sister named Sharon that we would like to find. She was last seen in Texas in the Pecos County area. She has a younger brother named Richard Lee and her parents' names were William Russell and Dorothy Lavina. Her father was in the army, stationed near Del Rio Ft. Stockton when she was born. Her mother worked on the base. I also know that her father was born in 1915 and died somewhere in Kansas around 1975. William was my mother's brother, and they were very close throughout their lives. Carol, my cousin, was estranged from the family in her young adulthood, and she was not reconciled with them before her father passed away. My mother promised Carol's father before he died that she would find Carol and let her know how much her father loved her. When my mother passed away, that promise transferred to me, and I have been searching for 12 years to keep that promise.

I contacted Search Quest America to help make it happen. I worked hand in hand with a researcher by the name of Julie Jones. Julie was awesome to work with--funny, down to earth, and incredibly skilled at the same time.
It only took about 30 days start to finish to solve the case. First, Julie found Carol's brother, Richard through his criminal record. He was arrested in 2007 and currently in Arizona State Prison on 4 counts of child abuse. That was sobering information, but it also led Julie to find Carol's current whereabouts. Carol and her sister Sharon both live in Phoenix today. Their phone numbers have been disconnected, but Julie contacted Sharon's ex-husband. He was not particularly helpful, to say the least. He promised to pass Julie's contact info on to Sharon and Carol, and we waited weeks to hear from them. Julie called back a second time, more forceful. He said he had emailed both Sharon and Carol, and they didn't seem especially interested in talking to me, though he said he would try again. We never heard from them.

Julie and I discussed the situation and decided it was best to try sending a letter instead. I wrote the letter to Ed, included a letter for Carol and Sharon in separate, unsealed envelopes with postage and her return address for Ed to forward on. I also copied the kids' baby photos so they would know I am legit. One of the things Ed mentioned to Julie is that Carol and Sharon do not know anything about their father's side of the family, so they probably don't really understand why I wants to get into contact with them. Julie followed up and gave Ed my contact information, and right now we are just waiting to find out what will happen.

One of the things Julie said to me when we started the search is that she could find my cousin, but may not be able to wave a magic wand and make it all turn out the way I wanted it to. I pondered on that reality as I wrote my letter. To be honest, the main reason I decided to pursue this search was out of loyalty and respect for my mother. Now that I have honored her wishes I feel like I can put her to rest, and actually meeting Carol and Sharon does not matter as much as I thought it would. I know that somewhere my mom is pleased with my efforts, and I am content to sit back and wait to see what will happen. Julie and SQA, Thanks so much! You have been wonderful and I owe you many thanks for helping me fulfill my mother's last request. Love, Kayleen

(Written by Mica Burton on Kayleen's behalf.)

Client ID# 262791

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After my mother broke up with him, she moved to Columbia and gave birth to me in Prosperity, South Carolina. She never contacted Barry to tell him about me; she just went on with her life and focused on being a good mother to me. I'm grateful to know the truth, but it changed my whole perspective. I just feel that there is a whole other side to my life that I am missing out on. I don't want you to get the impression that my life is bad. I have had a wonderful life, and now I am married to a wonderful woman and have 2 beautiful teenage girls. I am the acting mayor of our small town. Life is good for me. I just don't know who can help me make this side of my life complete.

About a month ago I was talking with a friend who recently used Search Quest America to reunite him with a child he had never met. He recommended that I contact SQA to see what could be done about finding my biological father. I didn't think I had enough information, but after my case was reviewed, it was accepted. Julie Jones was my researcher. I was prepared for the search to take months, but she called me back less than 72 hours later with news.

9/4/09--Julie spoke to Barry and he confirmed that he was in the NAVY, in Summerville, drove an MG, had family in Hawaii, was on a ship in the Naval Weapons Station, had a girl visit from Hawaii, married Jean in Summerville, lived at the Camelot Valley Mobile Home Park and on Bacon Ridge Road, etc., etc. All of the details my mom remembered. Except He said he didn't remember my mother and wanted nothing to do with being reunited. Julie asked for some medical history and other basic information, but he was not willing to say much. She told him to keep her number if he changed his mind. That was it. She called me back the same day to give me the news. She gave me his contact information and explained that the best option was to send him a letter with some pictures and see where it went from there. I told her I would think about it.

10/20/09--I sent him a letter. It was definitely a hard thing to do because by then I had been through every emotion--sadness, pain at being rejected, anger, sorrow, frustration-- finally I challenged him to take a DNA test just to prove that he wasn't my birth father. I waited to hear back, ready to accept the outcome either way.

1/6/10--Barry agreed to take the DNA test. We sent off samples and waited for the results.

3/31/10--The results are in!! It is a match and Barry cannot deny being my father. He is slowly coming around and we're talking about getting together out to meet each other. I am just happy to finally have an answer. It was a hard process, but it will be worth it to meet my father and find out what we have in common after all this time. It might not be a perfect scenario, but it's better than not knowing. Thanks, Julie and SQA, for all your help! You guys sure know how to put the pieces together! Sincerely, Troy

(Written by Mica Burton on Troy's behalf).

Client ID# 236740

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Edward's father's name is Robert. We were high school sweethearts at Rincon High School in Tucson, Arizona in 1959. We were in love, but Bob went into the Air Force and that was the end of it. I never heard from him again. A few months later I discovered that I was pregnant. My family was ashamed, but I was grateful and never thought twice about raising my son. I never told Bob's family about the pregnancy. His stepfather was a sergeant in the Air Force and was a very intimidating man. He had goals and expectations for Bob, and I wasn't going to be the person to get in the way of his potential. As time passed I got married and raised a family. When Edward was 2 years old, Robert came home from Vietnam and saw Edward for the first time. He loved him, but by that time, it was too late to really be a father to him. That was the last time they ever saw each other. Edward had a wonderful stepfather, and never expressed an interest in finding his biological father. That is, until now.

A dear friend of mine with a similar story was recently reunited with a loved one using Search Quest America. She recommended that I contact the company, and of course I followed her advice. My case was assigned to Julie Jones, and Julie was wonderful! In less than three weeks, she already had answers. She contacted Robert's mother, Lucille, and found out that Bob died many years ago from cancer caused by Agent Orange, which was used in the Vietnam War. His wife died soon after he did. She said he's buried in a military cemetery in South Carolina. He has twin daughters but she could not remember anything about them. She declined contact with Edward, saying she was in ill health and could not take on anything else right now. Robert had never told her about Edward.

I was discouraged when I got the news that Lucille did not want contact with Edward. I am not surprised that Robert never spoke with her about him, but there is no denying the fact that Edward is Robert's son, Lucille's grandson! We took a break from the search for about two weeks to decide what to do from there. I spoke with Edward and the rest of the family, and though disappointed, we decided we should not give up yet.

Bob had 2 daughters, Michelle and Shannon. We asked Julie to search for Edward's half-sisters so he could at least get photographs and make contact with his half-siblings. Unfortunately we hit another road block. Julie found out that Shannon has also passed away, and Michelle's phone numbers were disconnected. We had a family conference again and agreed to follow the case through to the very end. With Julie's help, Edward wrote Michelle a letter and enclosed photos of himself and his family. Ed told me that when he put the letter in the mail he felt peace for the first time in years. Even if she never writes back to him, he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has done everything he can to reach out to her. He says that is enough for now.

Thank you Julie and everyone at SQA for giving my son a wonderful birthday present. After 50 years I am relieved that he took a chance and reached out to his paternal family. Whether it turns out or not doesn't seem to matter as much as the fact that he found the courage to do it anyway, and to answer the questions in the back of his mind. You have all been a pleasure to work with and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

(Written by Mica Burton on Karen's behalf.)

Client ID# 262883

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I am the founder and owner of a successful construction company in Washington and have more than 25 years experience in my field. Most importantly I have two beautiful children who are my pride and joy. I have always wondered who my father is and I started my search because I wanted to know his story. I know he has other children who are my half-siblings. I have always wondered what kind of man he is, whether or not I resemble him, and if he would be interested in meeting me and being a grandfather.

All I knew about him at the time was his name (James), that he was born in Pinebluff, Arkansas, he was a carpenter, and was married when I was born. He had two daughters and was last seen in the South Bay Area in California in the late '60s. My mother and step father have both passed away, so I was not able to get any more information, but before they died they made it clear that I had their blessing if I ever decided to search for my father.

In my construction company I manage a crew of professional craftsman and we take pride in creating spaces that turn a clients vision into reality. When I contacted Search Quest America and spoke with Andy, a search consultant, he listened to my story, asked intelligent questions, and gave me the courtesy of being honest about all that the search entails. We discussed the fact that when they find my father, he may be deceased, may be living and unwilling to reunite, may deny my legitimacy as his child, or I could discover something about him that would make me question my desire to know him. I assured him that I was prepared for any of these outcomes and my case was assigned to Julie Jones.

Within a months time, Julie found my birth father, but he passed away in October of 2003. His obituary revealed that my half-sisters' names are Valerie and Cynthia. With this information, Julie located current contact information and left messages with both of them.

Valerie was the first to call back. She told Julie that the family was not aware of my existence, but based on my birth date she assumed that I was conceived while her parents were separated. She was very open with Julie. Apparently, Valerie's mother lived in fear of her father. He was violent and abusive. When her mom was pregnant with Cynthia, James tried to poison her with cyanide. He was a wanted sex offender and had trouble with the law throughout his life. None of Valerie's memories of him are positive, but she told Julie she would be happy to talk with me on the phone and give me whatever information I wanted.

In the last 30 days I have learned that the difference between my profession and the private investigation field is that I work with materials that are easily manipulated and formed into something beautiful. When we combine lumber, hardware, tools, and years of training, the result is always smooth and polished and predictable. When Search Quest America found my birth father's family, I learned that people are inherently flawed and no matter how much you try to sand down and polish up the reality, it won't ever match the vision, or the ideal situation I had painted in my head. I am grateful that the case has been solved, but now I have more questions than ever before. I am still sorting through my own emotions and deciding whether I want to have a relationship with my birth father's family or not. In the mean time I just want to thank Andy, Julie, and everyone at SQA for solving my case, even though it hasn't turned out exactly as I planned. I will keep you all posted as I sort things out.

(Written by Mica Burton on Todd's behalf.)

Client ID# 265360

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My parents did not keep my adoption a secret. When I was five years old my dad wrote away and received my un-redacted Texas birth certificate, which listed her name. He wrote to the lawyer who handled the adoption for more information, and he confirmed her name and gave some background about her situation. I found that piece of paper as a teenager and the memory is burned into my mind. I was blown away by the coincidence--without knowing my birth mother's name was Philomena, my parents named me Philip, and both of us go by "Phil" as a nickname. Since that day I have felt a connection with my birth mother, though I imagined that we lived a world apart.

My case was assigned to Julie Jones, who was a real asset through the whole search. After only about 7 days, she had located my birth family, still living in Texas. She found my birth mother's full name and the first hit from the internet search was an announcement about my grandparents. My grandfather was on the parish council in the Knights of Columbus, and my grandmother taught Sunday school weekly. It was clear that my birth mother came from a very devout family, and she herself graduated from the Order of Incarnate Word. With this background I worried that with the emotions involved with unwed pregnancy, my birth mother may not be favorable to a reunion. But we pressed on.

The next day, Julie called to tell me she had found current contact information for my birth mother and asked if I wanted to make the contact myself. I preferred that she make the phone call on my behalf, and wrote her an email with information to include or not include depending on how it went. I supposed she had good guy instincts and based on experience would say or withhold whatever she felt was appropriate. I could not help but miss the irony that her husbands name is Leo (just like my cat) and we were calling her on the day before her birthday.

I told her the basics--I'm happy and healthy. I bear no ill-will or resentment for her decision to place me. I understand why she did it, at least I think I do. I'm a college grad (degree in Writing with a concentration in Poetry), and although I'm sort of off the career-path at the moment (spent a decade in marketing as a graphic artist), I'm skilled and intelligent. I'm an artist and illustrator. I sang in rock bands for 17 years. I've always been outgoing and talented artistically. I'm bald, which was a BIG surprise when I turned 26! I am very fair-skinned and freckled, blue eyed, and used to be a redhead. I didn't know what sort of things to say, but these seemed logical.

Julie left a voicemail that on her cell phone that evening and we both waited anxiously for a response. It was January 6th of this year. Then on January 7th she called again and left another voicemail. When she still did not respond to the message regarding Dallas and 1972, I got a sinking feeling in my gut that told me she wasn't going to be calling. Julie reassured me that some birth mothers just need more time than others, and that I should be patient. She encouraged me to reach out with a letter, which I did. What do you write when you know the letter may be your only chance to reach out to the woman who gave birth to you? I wrote the basics of who I am as a person, what I look like, and how I feel about her. I included a photo and asked her to consider writing me back, but told her I would understand if she didn't. I mailed the letter off and tried not to expect anything in return.

January passed, then February. Finally, just yesterday, Julie called to tell me that Philomena called her out of the blue asking for my contact information! She received my letter and pondered over it for several weeks.
She shared the story with her family for the first time and was ready to write back to me and begin corresponding gradually.

I am overjoyed that we will be able to be reunited, albeit slowly and on her terms. It is everything I hoped for and I just want to thank SQA and Julie for giving me the tools to solve this mystery and the courage to keep hoping when it didn't seem that it would turn out well. I greatly appreciate all of your hard work and wish you the best of luck in the future.

(Written by Mica Burton on Philip's behalf.)

Client ID# 264695

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One of her sons died in an accident at the age of 39. Right before his death, he was involved in a short-lived relationship and fathered a son. My brother's name was Kevin and though he passed away, we have not forgotten that his relationship blessed us with another family member. My nephew's name is Christopher Michael and he does not know that he has a wonderful grandmother. One of his cousins says that his grandmother personifies the true meaning of "grandma." She has not forgotten Christopher, but has continued setting aside a little something for him as each birthday and Christmas passes. She lost a child but knows that somewhere she could see her son's smile again in the smile of a grandson she has never met, but has always loved.

Recently, mother and I were enjoying lunch together when out of the blue she brought up Christopher in conversation. She said, "Sandi, before I die I have to meet that young man and tell him I love him, and that I've never forgotten about him. Would you help me find him?" Her request was utterly unexpected, but I could see her sincerity shining through her tears, and I promised her that I would find him.

The next day, I did what anyone would do--I conducted an internet search for Christopher. It came back with thousands and thousands of hits and I quickly realized that finding him was not something I could do on my own. My next search was for private investigation companies, and voila! I found Search Quest America. Through several clicks of the mouse, I ended up at this very website and found myself engrossed in the stories of people just like us who were also searching for loved ones. I quickly saw that not every story had a happy ending, and discussed that reality with Mother before proceeding with the case.

When we made the decision to go forward, our case was assigned to Julie Jones. She first called to introduce herself and get more information on January 3, 2010. I'll never forget that day because in the morning we gave her all the information we had, including what we thought to be Christopher's mother's name. Then in the afternoon, Julie emailed us with a photograph of Christopher--It was from Facebook of all places! Unfortunately all of the most recent phone numbers and addresses on record were outdated, so the best option was for Julie to send him a message on Facebook. We held our breaths and waited for a response. Sure enough, the next day Chris called Julie, overjoyed that someone was looking for him after all this time.
Chris said he didn't know his dad had died until he was about 14 years old. He always wanted to look for us, but found himself in the same situation we did, not knowing where to look or who to trust to find the answers.

Incredibly enough, he grew up within 20 miles of our hometown his entire life! We must have crossed paths with him in the grocery store or at sporting events. In fact, he graduated from the same high school as his cousins, just about 5 years apart. We must have had a hundred opportunities to cross paths with him over the years, but never connected until now.

Right now, Chris is stationed in North Carolina at Camp LeJuene and we are so proud to learn that he has been to the war zone overseas and recently offered to go again at the end of March. Unfortunately he just took leave and will not have the opportunity to come see us until he saves up some time, but we have begun corresponding over the phone and through email, getting to know each other slowly and eagerly anticipating the opportunity to meet in person. Mother is so thrilled to finally know what happened to her long lost grandson, and it means the world to Chris to know that he has always been loved and thought about on every holiday and throughout the year. We can't say enough positive things about Search Quest America--everyone we dealt with took a personal interest in our story and we felt their compassion from the very first phone call. Thank you so much to each of you, may God bless you in your endeavors and smile upon you as he has smiled upon each member of our family. Much love, Sandi.

(Written by Mica Burton on Sandi's behalf.)

Client ID# 265506

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Last August, I wrote this email to SQA: "I found my birth mother over 20 years ago and within the last few years I have been trying to locate my birth father. The only problem is that my birth mother is not being cooperative with me at all. I have tried to locate him on my own but have hit a dead end at every turn. I don't know how much of the information that my birth mother has given me is accurate or if it is true. Nobody in the family every met him so I can't ask any of them about him. I was told that he only saw me once after I was born and then he just walked out on me and my birth mother.

I just want to know why he walked out on me when I was born and if he has other children as well. Another reason I am trying to find him is because I have Epilepsy and my daughter also had Epilepsy up until it took her life almost seven years ago. She was only 12 years old. I need to find out about his family's medical history and see if Epilepsy runs in his family because I know it is not in my birth mom's family tree. Pretty much all I know is his name which is Ray Clark and the name he used in Kansas City which is "Carp". I have also been told that he has a brother named Everett. I know that he used to ride a Triumph motorcycle and supposedly also rode with an outlaw motorcycle club called "El Forastero" in Kansas City in the early 60's. Also, I have been told that his mother lived in Marceline, Missouri. How much of what I know is the truth I can't be sure because my birth mother has been very reluctant in giving me the information I have asked for about him over the years. All I can do is try to see if you can locate him for me, that way I can find out the answers that I would like to have and possibly get to know him and be a part of his life.

I guess the reason I am trying so hard after all these years to locate him is because I am 41 and I feel that I have a right to know the truth behind him walking out on me and my birth mother. Every time I think I am getting close I hit a dead end. Is it really possible to find someone with so little information? I have read through your success stories and I cry when I read about the positive things that you do for people by helping them find their loved ones. I hope that you can help me get some answers."

I wrote that email in August, and I was definitely not disappointed! My case was solved by the end of January. I had to put myself out there and write letters and make phone calls, but in the end it was all worth it. My researcher Julie Jones helped me every step of the way until we were able to track down my birth father's family. He away several years ago, but we were able to find my half-brother, J.R., who still lives in Missouri today. We have spoken over the phone and corresponded via email several times and I am getting to know the family that way. I also have a half-sister Sheila who has not been as warm and receptive to a reunion, but I am confident that with patience, she will come around eventually. The family has provided me with the medical information I need, as well as a family history that helps me get an idea of where I come from.

I still don't understand how she did it, but Julie was able to solve the case with almost no information to go on. She even approached my birth mother and talked her into answering her questions and setting the facts straight--something I never expected her to do. When all is said and done, I am super-happy and just want to thank everyone at SQA for working together as a team to help solve my mystery--you guys are the best!

(Written by Mica Burton on Cindy's behalf.)

Client ID# 222376

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Over the years I have compiled this picture of the man who I'm told is my father. I know he was once married to a woman named Vicki, and that when I was conceived, my parents worked together. Her name is Lucy and they had a brief love affair that ended in heartbreak for my mother. Perhaps that is why she refuses to speak of him today--or maybe she is ashamed that she doesn't have more information. My greatest fear is that if I do not take the opportunity to search for him now, I may miss the opportunity to meet him while in this life. I contacted Search Quest America on a whim--I was afraid to hope that my dream might come true, but willing to take a chance to see what happened.

That time seems so long ago! So much has happened that has changed my perspective on the whole situation. My case was assigned to Julie Jones, who helped me write down everything I knew about my birth father, and we went from there. It became quickly apparent that I didn't have information, I had dis-information, several pieces that did not appear to fit together. Julie searched through all the databases, but did not find one single man who met the description I have her, or who fit with the mental picture I have formed over all these years. I had planned to keep the search a secret, but Julie and I hit a wall and she ended up approaching my mother for more information.

I had been afraid to broach the subject, but Julie handled it beautifully.
She learned several key pieces of information, like his sister's full name and the fact that she was married and lived only a few blocks away from her in Chicago. She was married with five or six kids. Julie was able to extract information my mother had never shared with me, like the fact that my birth father was a drug user. I never knew that when I was a little girl, he kidnapped me for three days right around Easter. The police found me all alone in an abandoned building--It was on the news and everything. How could I not remember that? At first it was shocking to hear that news, but at the same time hearing both sides of his personality helped me have a more realistic impression of who he was. We learned that he used to hang out at the Home Run Inn Bar in Chicago, that his dad lived in Texas, and that he really was an electronics engineer. I also learned that he really was married to a woman named Vicki, but I didn't know that he was recently married when he met my mother and I was conceived. I expected my mom to resist our efforts to find him, but she seemed relieved to get the whole story off her chest. She even agreed to go to the bank deposit box and get my original birth certificate, which he filled out when I was born.

With this information, Julie was able to track down his ex-wife, Vicki. She confirmed his birth date and said they were high school sweethearts and he enlisted in the army in 1960. I never had any idea he had a military background, but now know that everything he learned about engineering and electronics was learned in the army. One day in 1967, he left Vicki in Chicago with the kids and just never came home from work that day. She eventually divorced him on the grounds of desertion, but she never knew what happened to him.

Then, when their daughter was a young adult, about 20 years old, she went looking for him. He had been a very heavy alcoholic and on drugs at the time of my birth, and he lost track of his friends and family. Sadly, he committed suicide in 1976 by hanging. He lived in a suburb of Chicago and the closest I will ever get to seeing him is visiting his grave.

Of course, this was devastating news. I thought I was prepared for anything, but looking back I can see that I really only prepared myself for other wives, other siblings, being rejected by him, or not being able to form a connection. I had considered that he may have died, but I never imagined it would have happened by suicide the same year as my birth. Nevertheless, I am grateful to have answers to my questions and I am excited to meet my half-siblings and find some peace of mind that way.

I just want to say how much I appreciate all the help and support you all have given me. I am truly grateful to put all of my curiosity to rest and focus on moving forward and living my life. You have all given me perspective and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

(Written by Mica Burton on Loris behalf.)

Client ID# 259747

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One September 1st, 1978 I gave birth to a baby girl in Rupert Idaho. I was 13 years old. The State of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare made me feel like I had no rights in the matter. I had to give the baby up. I know now that it was the best thing to do. A 13 year old can't take care of themselves let alone a baby. I have thought about her everyday ever since. A part of me has always been missing.

In March of 2000 I received a response from an adoption registry via e-mail from a girl named Clarice. She said she didn't know a lot about her adoption, but she did know that she was born in Rupert, Idaho on September 1st, 1978. We e-mailed back and forth for quite a few months and we both believed that we were mother and daughter. I told her of my situation at the time of her birth. She said she had no hard feelings towards me and that she wanted to meet me. She even told me that she loved me, and we started a relationship through e-mail. If I remember correctly the last e-mail I received from her was on Mother's Day that year. She told me happy Mother's day and that she loved me. I have not heard from her since. I have still been searching the adoption registries and message boards whenever I get the chance.

One of the e-mails she sent me, she told me that she lived in Riverside, California until she was 14 and her and her family moved to Glendale Arizona where she went to high school and eventually went to the university of Arizona to become a school teacher. She had a younger brother named Jason. I still have every e-mail that she sent to me. I just need to know if she is ok. Was this girl even my daughter? Did she change her mind about meeting me or was she part of some sort of fraud? I don't understand. I guess now I need some questions answered. It was just so very strange how it just come to a complete stop overnight. From our relationship I gained so much comfort and understanding and closure, and all of those things have been ripped away from me overnight. The hole in my heart seems bigger now than it has ever been.

I contacted Search Quest America a few months ago and my case was assigned to Julie Jones. From my first interaction with your company, I felt that I could have confidence in your abilities and professionalism. I knew that this time, I would not be taken advantage of.

Julie walked me through the process of requesting the non-identifying information for the couple who adopted my baby. They were from Canyon County Idaho, and none of the facts matched the information Clarice provided. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach, and my worst fears were confirmed when Julie did some research and found out that the email address she had used was fraudulent. All of the hopes, dreams, tears, and laughs I shared with Clarice were a fraud! To say I felt like a fool would be an understatement. I had to wonder if I was a fool for trying again--how could I open my heart and trust that this time, when Julie solved the case, it would be a true reunion?

I only had about a month to prepare myself. Julie called me out of the blue to let me know that my daughter's name is Tyanne. She is a beautiful young woman with 2 daughters and she is happily married. I stewed on the information for a few days and then decided to write her a letter. I wrote:

"Hi, my name is Clara, and I am your birth-mother. I can't believe we have finally found you. I have thought about you every day for the last 31 years. Every holiday, every birthday, I would imagine what you were doing, and if you were happy, and with a good family. I would picture you in my mind and imagine what you look like. I always wondered if you knew you were adopted, and if you ever thought about me. I wondered if you hated me for giving you up.

Since the day I gave you up for adoption, I have had a big hole in my heart, and a piece of me has been missing. I dream of one day being able to meet you, and getting to know you. I wish I could hold you and hug you, if only for a brief moment.

I in no way want to disrupt your life, or cause any pain or problems. I just want you to know that I love you. I hope one day you will want to contact me, and we could possibly have some kind of relationship.

You have a full brother, and a sister that would love to meet you, and get to know you also. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. Hopefully I can answer those for you one day. I just want you to know that even though I don't know you, I love you with all my heart. I will leave my contact information with you. I hope to hear from you soon. Please take care, Clara."

Julie mailed the letter along with a cover letter explaining that SQA is a professional company that was hired to find Tyanne. I steeled myself for her response, expecting the worst and hoping for the best. I was not disappointed. Tyanna called me about three weeks later and we have had a wonderful relationship ever since. She came here to Burley once, and I have been to her home. We spent New Year's eve and New Year's day together. It was wonderful. We talk to each other every day, either on the phone, texting, or chatting on the computer.

I am so happy. She is a beautiful young woman and I could not be more proud. Finally, I feel validated in my decision to give her up for adoption. I can't thank you all enough for helping me solve this mystery and for showing me that even my story can have a happy ending. Thank you so much for everything! Sincerely, Clara.

(Written by Mica Burton on Clara's behalf.)

Client ID# 241269

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I first contacted Search Quest America on December 15, 2009. Jason and I had just been talking about Christmas and how much more fun the holidays would be when we had our own kids one day. I jokingly suggested we get started on that, but instead of playing along, Jason went quiet. When I probed him about what he was feeling, he put his head in his hands and said "it's hard to start my own family when a piece of me is missing. How can I be a father when I don't even know my own dad?" I was taken aback by the emotion in his face--Jason never talked about his father and even with how close we are, I honestly didn't know that it was such a deep wound for him.

Jason was born in Blue Island, Illinois in March of 1985. He was a fighter from the very beginning. When he was born with health problems and the doctors needed his father's medical history to make a diagnosis, Jason's mother contacted his birth father, a man named Stan. He had no idea she was pregnant and I gather it was only a brief relationship. By the time she caught up with him, Jason was 3 months old and Stan was married and living out of state. We don't know the details of that phone call, but we gather it was not a pleasant conversation. Jason's mother never speaks about it, or anything about Jason's father for that matter.

I approached her for information, but as soon as she found out I planned to help Jason find his birth father, she clammed up and made it clear that she did not approve and would not help us. Jason expected that reaction, but I don't understand how she could deny Jason the right to know his birth father, and know himself.

I contacted SQA on a Tuesday afternoon. I paid for the search myself and the case was assigned to Julie Jones. One of the first questions she asked was if Jason wanted to make the phone call himself or if he wanted Julie to call for him. He preferred to let Julie handle it, and I know it was because deep down Jason worried that since his father knew about him and hasn't tried to find him, he may not want to reunite with him. I did my best to reassure him, but in the back of my mind I hoped that this situation would not blow up in my face.

On February 1st, Julie called to tell us that she had found Jason's birth father. She left several messages trying to get a hold of him, but for whatever reason, he never returned her call. To Jason, it seemed like a confirmation of his worst fears. Julie encouraged us to write him a letter and include photographs of Jason growing up and as an adult. We talked about it together, and a few days later we mailed the letter with restricted delivery since it was intended for his eyes only.

Two days later, we got a call from Julie. Stan finally called her back and she said he had the "deer in the headlights" tone of voice. He denied ever knowing Jason's mother and said sorry, but he wasn't Jason's father. He did promise to call back if he could "shake any memories loose." But it was clear that we were at an impasse.

That night we talked to Jason's mom and to say that it did not go well would be an understatement. She instantly got very angry with us and began yelling at us. She said that Stan does know who she is. She thought that we are insinuating that she lied to us about something. We tried to explain to her that he might have been in front of his wife and just didn't want to say anything, but she wouldn't let us get a word in edgewise. Finally, she kicked us out of her house--a first for Jason. We had no idea what to think. She asked us if we were sure that we had the right Stan, but it has to be him based off of the information that she gave me. So unless the information that she gave me was incorrect there is no way that it could be the wrong guy. The fact that she got so angry and defensive right away makes me wonder if she did lie about something.

Jason and I went home that night emotionally exhausted. We decided it was a lost cause and tried to convince ourselves that we had done our part and the rest was up to Stan. We honestly weren't expecting anything good to come of it. We wrote Julie a long thank-you note for all her had work and asked her to let us know if Stan every called her again. As far as we were concerned, the case was closed.

We were completely surprised when Julie called two weeks ago. Stan did call! He said he talked to his wife about it and she remembered when Lori called when Jason was 3 months old. Stan said he wanted to do the right thing and offered to take a paternity test. He said if the results were positive, he wanted to be a part of Jason's life and let him get to know his half-siblings!! We could not have been happier.

Jason and Stan worked with DNA Diagnostics, who confirmed that Stan IS Jason's father--case closed. I am still reeling with everything that has happened. I can't believe Stan called back. I am so happy for Jason. This means so much to him and that means the world to me. Thank you AGAIN for everything that you have done for Jason. A new chapter in his life is about to open and none of it would be happening without your hard work and dedication to your job. You are a wonderful company and we greatly appreciate you! Thank you!

(Written by Mica Burton on Michelle's behalf.)

Client ID# 264234

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My story, like many others, begins with the earliest dreams of my childhood. When I was 5 or 6 I saw a Hallmark commercial that showed a man picking out the perfect Valentine for his sweetheart and bringing it home with a single rose. One would assume that the card was intended for his wife or girlfriend, but what always stood out to me is that the card and flower were for his little girl. It's totally ridiculous that I still remember that commercial, but that was the first moment I remember feeling the emptiness that comes with being raised by a single parent. Naturally, I went to my mother several times over the years for questions. I asked what he looked like, how they met, whether or not he had dimples, or if my eyes were the same color as his. She told me his name was Patrick O'Donovan and that when they met and fell in love, he was working as a ground crew at the San Francisco airport. She told me he had 3 younger siblings, Dominic, Anthony, and Margaret.

One of the first things she fell in love with was his European accent. His family was Irish and Patrick was raised in East Acton, London, so mom always said he had a lilt in his voice that she couldn't resist. They dated for several months until his work visa expired and he returned home to England. She never saw him again, but a few months later she discovered she was pregnant with me. Often as she brushed my deep red hair, she would tell me stories about their time together and that I looked just like him. I liked to think he would have been proud of me and all that I accomplished through my adolescence and now into my early adulthood. Yet even as I have gotten older I can't help but long for the relationship I have always envied. The fact that Patrick is likely living abroad today has deterred me from searching seriously for him.

However, when I contacted Search Quest America to get an idea of what I was up against, I was surprised to learn that they were confident they could reunite me with not only my father, but the rest of my birth family as well. Of course I was worried that it was too good to be true, but with my mother's blessing I took a leap of faith and decided to search anyway. I was not disappointed! Julie Jones solved my case in only 2 months. When all the traditional methods failed to pan out, Julie sorted through hundreds of people on Facebook and corresponded with a member of my birth family via email.

Finally, Julie convinced her to pass my contact information along to my birth father. I waited in anticipation and less than a week ago, my dad called me for the first time! I just want to thank Andy, Julie, and Susan at Search Quest America for following my case through to the happy ending. It looks like we are off to a great start and this new beginning would not be possible without Search Quest America.

I may not have the Halmark ending I always dreamed of as a child, but I anticipate a bright future ahead for both of us. I owe you all a batch of cookies, a vacation, my firstborn or something!! Please accept my humble thanks and use my story as a testimonial of your skills, compassion, and integrity. Best of luck in the future...Kristen.

(Written by Mica Burton on Kristen's behalf.)

Client ID# 261786

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The last time I saw Carmen she was newly married to the man who is now her ex-husband. Her husband was a big problem. They were living in the house with my father. I was also married, and letting my ex-husband dictate a lot of things. I should have been stronger and handled it a lot better, but I didn't. One thing we always did well was stand by our men, but neither of us was ever good at picking up the phone and mending fences. I never made a conscious decision to cut Carmen out of my life, but before I knew it over a year had passed. When I finally picked up the phone to call her, her number was disconnected. I went to her home and found out she had moved out of state 6 months before. I was hurt that she hadn't even said goodbye, and tried not to think about how I had hurt her by not standing up for her when it mattered most.

Now, I'm 67 years old and find myself alone. I'm divorced, single, and driving a motor coach for a casino. It gives me plenty of time to think about the things I wish I had done differently in my life. About a month ago, one of my good friends died in her sleep at only 54. No one saw it coming and no one could give an explanation. It got me thinking about how we never know how much time we have left. I went to her funeral and saw all of her children and grandchildren and listened to them tell stories about what a great person she was and how much they will miss her. I tried not to think about who would miss me or who would come to my funeral if it had been me instead.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. The next day I picked up the phone and called Search Quest America. Andy put me at ease. He walked me through the process and before I knew it I was working with Julie, my researcher. Then, just 2 weeks after that I got a phone call one afternoon at work. Julie was calling to tell me she had found Carmen and wanted to know if I wanted to call her first. I told her to go ahead and break the ice for me.

Only thirty minutes later the phone rang again and it was Carmen herself!! We cried together and got caught up on all that has happened since we last spoke, and never once talked about the things that had separated us, only the things that bind us together. I knew I had 2 grandchildren, but they are not children anymore. They are 24 and 27 already! I also have 3 other grandsons, 15, 13, and 10 years old and even 2 great-grand children, who are 4 and 2 years old. I went out to see her that weekend (it's only a four hour drive). Now we talk all the time. We have so much in common and I am just so grateful that Andy and Julie helped me put the pieces of our relationship back together before it was too late. All of a sudden I have a family again! It's awesome. I can't thank you all enough for your role in all this. I hope you continue to help others the way you have helped me.

(Written by Mica Burton on Marilyn's behalf.)

Client ID#266499

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I was treated very well and had a good life. But as the years passed, I used to write fantastic stories about what was happening in my birth mother's life in 1949. What could possibly have motivated her to abandon me? I wrote about what life must have been like for her and my other siblings and they grew up. I had no reason not to believe that they were living together happily somewhere else, life going on as normal without me. I naturally assumed that I was given away because I misbehaved or somehow wasn't good enough for them. It was a wound I nurtured silently as I tried to adjust to life in my new family.

My foster parents petitioned for adoption several times over the years. I was told that when each petition reached my mother, she was living in Long Island, New York. She denied their request for adoption every time. I took that as a sign that she would come back for me one day, but as the years passed I forgot my life as Mary Davis and my youthful anticipation turned to dread and fear. My memories of life with my biological mother faded and over time, I became Mary Kramer.

Now, I am 68 years old and find that I have a hole in my heart filled with questions and longing to understand the events that led up to that fateful day. I have searched for my siblings, 2 of whom are named Debbie and Dianne. They are in their early sixties now and may not even remember me.

About a month ago I decided it was best to proceed with the help of the experts. I contacted Search Quest America and my case was assigned to Julie Jones. I gave her all the information I had, everything I remembered about my childhood, and asked her to find my mother and siblings so I can get the answers I need. I believe my mother is still living on Long Island, New York, and I would like to talk to her first. She is in her 80s today, but I hope she is cognizant enough to know who I am and explain what happened 61 years ago.

Only 2 weeks after signing the contract, I received a phone call from Julie. It was a Friday afternoon and she told me she had found my birth family. She first contacted a man named Walker, my nephew. He took down all the information and agreed to pass it along to his family and call me back the next day. The problem is, he never called back. Julie has left several messages with no response.

I am grateful for Julie and SQA, who have been instrumental in helping me solve this case. She has given me phone numbers and addresses and my next step will be to write letters to my siblings and my mother, who is still living, and beg for answers. Even if I only have the chance to speak to them one time, I will be content. Truly, there is a piece in my life that's missing and I just feel that I would like to fill that void before I die. I have searched for a long time and just feel I need a little help and a little peace. As you can imagine, I feel 7 years old again, with all the abandonment, sorrow, and loss of being left on the curb again. I will keep you posted as I try one more time to reach out to my birth family and find answers to my questions, and most importantly--peace.

(Written by Mica Burton on Mary's behalf.)

(Client ID# 258587)

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I still remember the day our relationship ended. It was 11 years ago at a bonfire following graduation. We spent the evening partying with the rest of our senior class. He was heartbroken and angry because I was heading off to college a few days later and he was staying home to help in his dad's mechanic shop. As much as I promised we would keep in touch and get together during the holidays, he knew that our relationship was about to change forever. I joined my sister at the university the next week, and Christopher never returned my phone calls. When I came home for Christmas break, he was gone, vanished into thin air. I still wonder what would have happened if I had stayed in La Habra. I moved on with my life, got married, and had 2 beautiful daughters.

I hear from a friend of a friend that Chris got into some trouble with the law and spent some time behind bars soon after graduation. Then, I ran into him in a Walmart of all places back in 1999. He was with his wife, a woman named Catherine, and they were expecting a baby. I often wonder if they had a boy or a girl or if they are still together.

Since that day, I returned to California as a single mother after getting divorced. In the quiet hours after my girls have gone to bed I still think about Chris and what a good dad must would be. I wonder if he might also be single and if he might consider giving me a second chance at happily ever after. Either way, I will love him till the day I die.

As I said before, I contacted SQA on New Years Eve. On January 18th I got a call from my researcher, Julie Jones, who called to tell me that she had found Christopher. My instructions were to call me first and let me know what his circumstances were before contacting him. If he is happily married or something, I didn't want to disrupt his life. Julie reported that his wife filed for divorce 2 years ago and as far as she can tell, Chris is single today. I was ecstatic! I got all he contact info from Julie, including his email address and phone number, and sent him an email that very night. Since then, Chris and I have been catching up via email and on the phone every few days. It feels like no time has passed at all and I am very optimistic about the future. I can't guarantee that I have found a stepfather for my girls, but I have reconnected with my best friend, and that is well worth the cost of the search. I just want to say thank you to Julie and SQA for helping my dream come true!! You are amazing and the reason I wake up every morning with a smile on my face. Best of luck to all of you!

(Written by Mica Burton on Michelle's behalf.)

Client ID# 266502

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I did not send the contract back immediately because we all needed to talk about it as a family and get the money together. I thought about it a lot from December 3rd to December 5th. Then on December 13th I made one more phone callI looked the birth father up in the phone book and called him! He was still living in the town my mother Linda and Lawrence Cook graduated from and it was him! He was the Larry cook that dated my mother for that short time and Lynnette was conceived. I talked with him for 20 minutes which seemed like an hour. But he was very interested in being a part of our search for Lynnette. Larry had not been married since around 1978. He never had any other children. Lynnette is his only child. So he then said to me during that phone call he would like to help financially to find her. I gave him Lindas contact info and Search Quest America the details and he called and paid the fee. We all were just amazed.

Now the ball was really rolling. I let me mother know right away that I had made that phone call and that he paid the full amount to search for Lynnette. So from that day until Jan 3rd, two days sooner than I expected, the 14 day waiting period was over. Now Susan Friel-Williams emailed me that she had a good lead on my Sister. I called and left her a message and she called me back. She had good news. She had found my sister!!

Her Name is Jacqueline. She is in California. She is possibly married and maybe divorced and married again. She said she had found her on Facebook and another site and left her messages and emails. About a week went by and Jacqueline had not responded. I was sent a picture of Jacqueline to share with my family from Susan. Susan and I talked and she decided since she had not responded, maybe she thought we were a collections person trying to reach her. So I asked if she could give me the information. She had phone numbers, addresses, etc and I would make an attempt to contact Jacqueline myself. Susan did just that. I wrote the info down and she suggested I write a letter and send the same letter to all the addresses she gave me.

Well, I was confident enough I would have some sort of success. So I called the first two numbers and left a message saying my name is Nicholle Hardy, I am calling from Iowa for Jacqueline and its regarding family matters if she could please call me as soon as she is able. Thanks.". I left another message at another number with the same message. Finally the 3rd phone number I was starting to leave a message and low and be hold a voice came on the phone that I will never forget, as I went speechless for a few seconds. I was at a loss for words and all I could say is "Jacqueline I think I am your sister..." She said "Really?" After that I forget what she said. But I do recall she was a nervous wreck and so was I. I didn't know what to say other than I had known about her since I was 17 and I am now 36. I had to wait till the time was right for our Birth Mom. I told her about the story of Linda Davis having her and the name she was given. The next thing you know her husband Marty was talking to me for a moment and got us connected to the web cam video connection and we saw each other over the computer for the first time. All we both could say is "this is so cool!" I told her she has a brother named Scott also and 4 nephews and a niece. Her new found niece is very fond of Jacqueline even on the computer and she is far away. Isabella has an Aunt. I have a Sister. My mother has a daughter she can now bond in their own way from here on out.

Our mother Linda came to my house and she then got to do a video conference too and see her daughter for the first time since that day, April 19th, 1970. Jacqueline got to ask her questions and things and they have been in contact 1 and 2 times a week since that day. I also keep in touch with Jacqueline 2-3 times a week as much as possible. She is just as bubbly as our mother is and has a heart of gold. Her parents that raised her are two beautiful people that gave her a home with love and caring as she grew up. Linda has received a package of photos of Jacqueline growing up from birth to now and was so excited to sit down and enjoy them and see how much Jacqueline and I, Nicholle her sister, look alike at different stages of our life. It's crazy!

In the mean time I let Larry, Jacqueline's birth Father, know that we had found and made contact with her. I gave him all her contact info. He is retired and owns a farm not far from us Here in Iowa. Though we all are far away, we will not be apart again if we all can help it. Jacqueline and her husband, Marty, live in California near Sacramento. They are both in college and cannot get away for a get together to reunite. However we are all looking forward to this summer and hope to meet half way or just get Jacqueline and Marty to Iowa to meet us all. We cannot thank Search Quest America enough for what they have done. We are thankful to them and their talents for searching for people of all situations. We will be forever grateful... God Bless everyone involved in our Search for a Sister, Daughter, Aunt etc. Sincerely Nicholle Hardy."

(Written by Nicholle Hardy.)

Client ID# 265260

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I spent my childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and the first part of my married life just like any other person. I had no idea I was adopted and only found out about a month before my first child was born. During that time in my life, I learned that my mother had a serious disease and was not expected to live more than 6 months. One day she invited me and my wife over for Sunday breakfast. She sat us down on the couch and informed me that she and my father had decided it was time to tell me that I was adopted. They told me I was born in Birmingham, Alabama on January 21, 1952. My mother was married and I was conceived from an affair. Her husband forced her to give me up for adoption for the sake of her marriage. They remembered that her name was Geneva, like the place in Switzerland, but besides that they had no other information. I was stunned, and had a hard time figuring out what to say. I could not be angry at them for withholding the information. With this new knowledge, they also gave me their blessing that if I ever had a desire to find my birth family, they would support my decision.

Over 30 years have passed since that day. During that time I have thought long and hard about searching for my birth mother. Finally, a friend of a friend provided me with SQA's contact information and encouraged me to send an email. I talked it over with my wife and my children, and with everyone's support, I initiated the search.

I could not possibly be more pleased! Julie walked me through the process of applying for my original Alabama birth certificate. This provided us with the clues we needed to find my birth mother, Geneva Densmore, from Osceola, Florida. Unfortunately she passed away in 2004. This came as great disappointment to me, but I was grateful for the opportunity to meet my natural brother and 2 sisters. When Julie contacted them, they were just as stunned as I had been. None of them had any recollection or even an inkling that our mother had another child, but they were able to confirm her identity and everything on my non-identifying information matched to a T.

I just want to tell you all that you did a great job making my dreams come true. I now have the answers to all of my questions, including my medical history and information about my genealogy. Naturally, I regret that my birth mother passed away before we could meet, but I am grateful for the many ways my life has been enriched by meeting my half-siblings. I am incredibly grateful for my friend who suggested I call SQA. I have given out their contact information several times myself and I am excited to give my friends the gift I have been given--finally knowing who I am and where I come from. May you each lead long, happy lives full of opportunities to bless the lives of others, as you have blessed mine. Sincerely, Stan Graham"

(Written by Mica Burton on Stans behalf.)

Client ID# 231322

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Robert was taught to be fiercely loyal to his family, and he lived much of his life without even a thought to contact his birth father or paternal grandparents. As time passed, however, he learned to express gratitude for the role models in his life without feeling the need to have their approval all of the time. He started to wonder about his paternal family, and when we had our first child, he was overcome with emotion not only at the new addition to our family, but realizing that his own father never had the opportunity to watch Robert be born. I think that was when he really decided that he would pursue the search.

His case was assigned to Julie Jones, who was fabulous every step of the way. She worked hard and pursued leads I never thought would go anywhere. All she knew was that Robert's father's name was Andrew and that his paternal family owned a Goodyear Shop in a suburb of Chicago in 1975. She also knew that the family had a summer home in Edgerton, WI across the street from a family Robert's mom used to babysit for--that's how they met. About half-way through the search, we also remembered that Robert's grandmothers name was Gwen, and she was his grandfather's first wife. Julie took this information and contacted city directories, ran internet searches, and even called the old neighbor who still lives across the street from the house Robert's dad grew up in. One thing led to another and finally Julie stumbled onto Robert's uncle, whose name is Edward. Edward agreed to put us in touch with Robert's family and voila! Case closed.

Roberts family was so thrilled to meet him! They called him right away and expressed their deep regret that they were unable to be a part of his life. When it became clear that his maternal family would not let them into Robert's life, they eventually gave up trying, Over time, they moved to another city and lost track of Robert altogether. We are all just so grateful for Search Quest America and for the opportunity to solve this mystery and find answers for Robert. He has been lighter, more energetic, and more confident since the day he found out that his family still knows remembers, and loves him. That is knowledge that can't be bought and I am so happy we decided to pay the price to make it happen for him. He has a new pep in his step. I definitely recommend SQA. Ask for Julie. She's the BEST!

(Written by Mica Burton on Ranae's behalf.)

Client ID# 229222

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