This is part 3 of an adoption story chronicling the perspectives of an adoptive sister (part one), adoptee (part two) and birth father.
Bill and family celebrating his mom’s 90th brthday
In early 1969, me and my girlfriend discovered we were pregnant. She was 17 and going to high school; I was 19 and a high school graduate working as a laborer. My parents had a meeting with her parents at their home. Her mother took control as my parents were not in a position to say much. She decided her daughter would be sent away, have the baby, give it up for adoption, and no one would be any wiser. I was to go out the front door and never to be seen or heard from again. I did try to contact the mother of my child, and her mother found out about it. I received a call from the police. They told me if I tried to contact her again I would receive jail time.
In the fall of 1969 I contacted a friend of hers who informed me she’d had a baby girl and given her up for adoption.
My life went on. I went to post-secondary education, and in the fall of 1972 I married my lovely wife Janet.
In 2010, my daughter-in-law convinced me to join Facebook. I had only been on it for 10 days when I got a message from a young woman, Nancy, wanting to know if I knew of a certain family back in 1969. I knew in my heart who this person was, but I went NUMB and didn't know what to do or say.
I kept this secret to myself for weeks but finally told Janet. Janet knew about this child before we got married, so it wasn't a complete surprise. She insisted I get in touch with Nancy right away. We agreed to meet Nancy the following weekend and the BOND was formed immediately. I met my granddaughters and great grandsons all in the same day. I was in a state of shock! I didn't have any grandchildren and now I had two beautiful granddaughters and two wonderful great grandsons. I have grown to love them all very much.
I want to thank Evie and Levi for loving and caring for this little baby girl. They did a magnificent job raising her. She has blossomed into a beautiful woman, mother and grandmother.
Janet and I have been married for 47 years . We have two sons, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. We are truly blessed to add Nancy and her family to our family.
My mother died at 95, but I am thankful she got to meet Nancy. They had 5 years to get to know and love each other.
I thank God for helping Nancy's mother and grandmother choose adoption!
Adoption changes the lives of so many, with impact beyond what we can imagine - here we have a birth father, step mother, half brothers, sisters-in-law, grandmother, newfound grandchildren and great grandchildren!
Though difficult and sometimes complex, adoption is also a loving parenting choice. If you are considering adoption, or perhaps you are a birth parent grieving the loss of a child through adoption, we are here for you.