Share on Facebook | More ArticlesOriginal Article by Rachel Johnson
A search for answers led one woman to Aiken, South Carolina.
Born Sept. 21, 1979, at 11:57 p.m. in the Aiken County Hospital, HollyBrown weighed 7 pounds and 9 ounces and was delivered by Dr. LloydDaniels.
This is where the mystery and the lifelong search began.
"I grew up knowing at a very young age that I was adopted. My parents,Fred and Susan Brown, are the most loving and giving people that Iknow, and I have been blessed to have been given such amazing people asparents," said Holly Brown. "They have also been very open with meabout how I got here and always encouraged me to search for my birthfamily. They also have a son, my brother, Freddy, who is adopted aswell."
Brown began the search for her birth parents years ago and has beenable to trace them back to Aiken County, but the search hasn't beeneasy.
"I have been looking for my birth mother for as long as I can remember.Even though I grew up with two loving Christian parents, I always feltlike a big piece of me was missing, an important piece," said Brown."After all, I had never met or knew the one person who sheltered me inher womb for nine months and the pain and fear she experienced just toknow she was going to have to give me up. She had to be a very lovingand nurturing person to make that kind of sacrifice, and to that I willforever be grateful."
Brown would like to share several messages with her mother and desires to do so in person.
"I also want her to know that there hasn't been a day that has gone bythat I haven't wondered about her or how she is, and I would love tohave the chance to get to know her and thank her for all that she hasgiven me by bringing me into this world. After all, we all have thisneed to know our heritage, to know who we are and were we came from andwithout this, you feel an emptiness, a hollow yearning. For many of usadoptees who come from a closed adoption, we just want to be given thechance to know the pieces of our past, so, like a puzzle, we can putthem together and finally make one whole piece," Brown said.
Brown has been able to discover that her mother was born in 1960 andwas nearly 19 years old when she was born. Her mother graduated fromhigh school in 1978 and was from the Aiken area.
"She was the eldest of four sisters. The second oldest sister was bornin 1962 and was in ninth grade, the third eldest was born in 1964 andin eighth grade and the youngest sister was born 1967 and in the sixthgrade. She might of also had a brother, but that is unclear in mydocuments," said Brown. "My birth mother was said to be living with hermaternal grandmother at the time of the birth. The birth mother'sfather is listed as deceased in 1959 due to leukemia but it is unclearif this was my genetic grandfather. The physical description for mymother was she was fair-skinned, hazel eyes and blonde hair. Mybiological father was 29 years old at the time of my birth. He was oversix foot with blonde hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion as well."
If anyone has any information that may lead Brown to her birth parents, call (864) 567-4594.
"I want people to know that not only has being adopted been a personalstruggle for me, but for so many out there who struggle emotionallywith the issue as well. Everyone has a right to know," Brown said.
Published Friday September 25th, 2009 at 12:39am
Born Sept. 21, 1979, at 11:57 p.m. in the Aiken County Hospital, HollyBrown weighed 7 pounds and 9 ounces and was delivered by Dr. LloydDaniels.
This is where the mystery and the lifelong search began.
"I grew up knowing at a very young age that I was adopted. My parents,Fred and Susan Brown, are the most loving and giving people that Iknow, and I have been blessed to have been given such amazing people asparents," said Holly Brown. "They have also been very open with meabout how I got here and always encouraged me to search for my birthfamily. They also have a son, my brother, Freddy, who is adopted aswell."
Brown began the search for her birth parents years ago and has beenable to trace them back to Aiken County, but the search hasn't beeneasy.
"I have been looking for my birth mother for as long as I can remember.Even though I grew up with two loving Christian parents, I always feltlike a big piece of me was missing, an important piece," said Brown."After all, I had never met or knew the one person who sheltered me inher womb for nine months and the pain and fear she experienced just toknow she was going to have to give me up. She had to be a very lovingand nurturing person to make that kind of sacrifice, and to that I willforever be grateful."
Brown would like to share several messages with her mother and desires to do so in person.
"I also want her to know that there hasn't been a day that has gone bythat I haven't wondered about her or how she is, and I would love tohave the chance to get to know her and thank her for all that she hasgiven me by bringing me into this world. After all, we all have thisneed to know our heritage, to know who we are and were we came from andwithout this, you feel an emptiness, a hollow yearning. For many of usadoptees who come from a closed adoption, we just want to be given thechance to know the pieces of our past, so, like a puzzle, we can putthem together and finally make one whole piece," Brown said.
Brown has been able to discover that her mother was born in 1960 andwas nearly 19 years old when she was born. Her mother graduated fromhigh school in 1978 and was from the Aiken area.
"She was the eldest of four sisters. The second oldest sister was bornin 1962 and was in ninth grade, the third eldest was born in 1964 andin eighth grade and the youngest sister was born 1967 and in the sixthgrade. She might of also had a brother, but that is unclear in mydocuments," said Brown. "My birth mother was said to be living with hermaternal grandmother at the time of the birth. The birth mother'sfather is listed as deceased in 1959 due to leukemia but it is unclearif this was my genetic grandfather. The physical description for mymother was she was fair-skinned, hazel eyes and blonde hair. Mybiological father was 29 years old at the time of my birth. He was oversix foot with blonde hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion as well."
If anyone has any information that may lead Brown to her birth parents, call (864) 567-4594.
"I want people to know that not only has being adopted been a personalstruggle for me, but for so many out there who struggle emotionallywith the issue as well. Everyone has a right to know," Brown said.