I also did my DNA and found my family 49 Years after being put up for adoption, at the age of 3, after the death of my mother. I discovered that I was the fifth of six children. My younger brother and is stayed together and my 4 older siblings stayed together and my teenaged half sister was never adopted. I now have such a large family that I can not count them all. We had two family reunions in 2018. They were set up on such short notice that few family members were able to attend so another has been set for 2020 so many more can attend. I recommend that anyone looking for lost family try doing their DNA.
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MyHeritage user Faith Loftesness of Colorado was adopted as a baby at a hospital in 1957 in Albany, New York. She was nine when she learned she was adopted. Then she began looking for her biological parents, wanting to know more about where she came from. Her 50-year search finally ended when she recently reunited with her biological mother, thanks to MyHeritage DNA.
Watch the emotional reunion here:
Along the way, Faith hit many brick walls and dead-ends. She resigned herself to the fact that it just wasn’t meant to be.
Nine years ago, her daughter Aimee Campanella decided to take over, and help her mother make headway in her search. Three years ago, Aimee bought Faith a DNA kit for Mother’s Day. She uploaded Faith’s DNA data to MyHeritage to expand the chances of matching with family.
Initially, there were no close matches. But one day, they were surprised with a high-confidence match to a woman, 82, in Albany, where Faith was adopted. The estimated relationship was “mother.” Aimee contacted the woman, Marcia, to learn more about her story.
Marcia Mastroianni was 22, a single mom who wanted to give her daughter a better life and gave her up for adoption. She thought of Faith so many times over the years, but the adoption was closed through the Catholic Church, and Marcia wasn’t able to find her.
Faith and Aimee flew to Albany to meet Marcia for a special reunion.
Faith couldn’t believe that after all these years, her dream was finally coming true.
I don’t know how to describe it. You stand there and you’re like number one, in disbelief, this can’t be happening.
Aimee noticed so many similarities between her mother and grandmother.
I’m sitting back with them, watching them, and they both talk with their hands. They both lick their lips, they giggle when they’re nervous. Yeah, it’s pretty amazing.
Faith understands why Marcia decided to place her for adoption all those years ago.
She made a choice totally out of love, because she knew I was not going to have a good life at that point.
Faith’s message to everyone who is still searching for family members is to never give up hope, even if it takes decades. For now, Faith, Marcia, and Aimee are all so happy to have found one another and to make the most of the time that they have together.
Brenda Palmer
February 15, 2019
Hi, thank you for reuniting birthmothers and children. I am searching for my birth son, who I gave up in November, 1967, in Rochester, NY. Thru Catholic Charities .
I did my DNA thru you. If he does his, would we be matched? Can I apply for your help? Thank you
Brenda Palmer ( maiden name Willson)
720 236 0436