Latest Articles on Reverse Phone Lookup and People Search
Posted April 23rd, 2012
Shannon Herr, 23, took to social media to find the sister she never met. Herr was one of four sisters adopted right after birth. She began her search four years ago, but came up empty at every turn.
After four years of endless searching, Herr recognized, in a Facebook profile, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to a picture of her younger sister. Herr, throwing caution to the wind, messaged the woman, Katie Baumgarten. Kerr also noticed that Baumgarten’s email address included numbers that corresponded to the year she was born.
“Do the names Deborah and Bruce Cole mean anything to you?” Herr asked Baumgarten in her message.
Baumgarten received the message and was astonished, especially since she had been searching for her sister as well. Baumgarten didn’t have any luck because the only information she had was the name “Shannon” which was too broad to use for a search.
“I freaked out,” Baumgarten said. “I kept repeating, ‘Oh, my God. Shannon found me.’”
The sisters spent days conversing back and forth and met at the Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento. They brought their mothers, Mary Herr and Kim Baumgartnen.
The sisters discovered they had more in common than they thought. They both have the same middle name, Elizabeth, and they love animals, reading, writing, and share the same adoration for Italian and Mexican cuisine.
After their initial reunion, they met again in Woodland and talked to the media about their story and how they found each other.
Baumgarten lives in Stockton but she is considering a move to be closer to her sister. Herr, a theater arts degree recipient, is planning to intern at the Woodland Opera house for the summer and is contemplating a forensics career. Baumgarten is studying for her degree at San Joaquin Delta College.
The sisters are trying to plan how they can live with each other even though it will be difficult with their varying goals. Regardless, they vow to stay in contact and visit often.
They are also interested in locating their two other birth sisters. Herr found their sister, Christine Dressler, on the internet, but Dressler was not interested in reuniting. The sisters’ grandmother adopted Dressler and told her she had no siblings.
“She shut all family out,” Herr said referring to Dressler. “We’d like to try to meet Christina, but it probably won’t happen.”
Herr is also upset that she has not had the opportunity to meet her biological mother. Baumgartner met her and said she was not well mentally, which keeps them at a distance in their relationship.
Their father is also not mentally well and neither sister has met him. Herr heard that her father had a temper.
“He threatened to kill all of us when we were born,” Herr said.
The siblings would love to meet their older sister, though they do not know her name. Maybe fate will bring them together just like it did for Baumgarten and Herr.
<Read More>Posted April 18th, 2012
Sixty-year-old Kathleen Wilkie gave birth to a baby girl at an African hospital more than 45 years ago. Kathleen became pregnant with her South African boyfriend at only 15 years old. The teenagers' parents forced the young couple to have the baby and give it up for adoption. Kathleen had the baby three months premature at a hospital in Zimbabwe. Since the baby was taken from her before she had a chance to look at her, Kathleen wondered if her baby survived the premature birth. She found out from a cleaner that her baby lived. She left to return to her family in Scotland wondering if she would ever meet her daughter.
Kathleen’s life continued on and welcomed her husband Rab, three sons and one adopted daughter. As the years passed, her heart longed to meet her firstborn daughter, Tamsin.
“It had a terrible impact on me,” Kathleen said. “I was heartbroken.”
Kathleen desperately wanted to search for her daughter but stringent adoption laws restricted her. She made it known to the adoption agency that she wanted to be found if her daughter was searching.
The Reunion
Tamsin Eddie, long lost daughter, lived in Oregon in the U.S. She grew up in South Africa but left as a teenager when her adoptive parents divorced. Tamsin knew she was adopted and started looking for her mother one year ago. She had her name and knew that she was from the UK, but she felt to start in Scotland because of her love for the bagpipes.
On a hunch, Tamsin went with her gut and the bagpipes led her to her long lost mother.
With the help of a friend, Tamsin located Kathleen on Facebook and emailed her mother with the statement, “Does February 12, 1968, mean anything to you?”
Kathleen received the email with joy and excitement.
“I turned to my husband and said ‘It’s my baby, she wants me’,” she said.
Kathleen replied to her long lost daughter and said, “Yes, it means a lot to me. I had to leave the most precious thing in my life behind.”
“I can only hope and pray that this is the miracle I have been hoping for ever since,” Kathleen said.
Mother and daughter reunited on Skype and let their emotions explode with tears and smiles.
“It was amazing, and many tears were shed. I’ve been very lucky. I was scared Tamsin would resent me but everything’s been wonderful,” Kathleen said. “I never gave up hope she would find me but it seemed like the chance was going.”
Tamsin told her mother she loves Scottish music and her fondness of bagpipes led her to her discovery.
“I’ve dreamed of meeting my mum all my life so this is amazing for me. We’ve discovered we are so alike,” Tamsin said
Kathleen added, “It was a fantastic hunch that led her to me.”
<Read More>Posted April 16th, 2012
Bob Heck watched his brother Frank head off to Des Moines, Iowa at a Chicago bus station more than 60 years ago. Little did he know that six decades would elapse before the two would speak again. Bob always thought they would keep in contact.
Bob and Frank were two of three siblings who grew up during the difficult times of the Depression. Their mother was left to care for them after their father died in 1933. Because she was unable to provide for the children financially, they were sent to a children’s home.
To keep the children from getting adopted, the mother worked hard and paid the home a monthly fee to care for them. Bob and his siblings, though living under the same roof, only saw each other for brief moments. The home separated the children by age and sex.
Whenever Bob and his younger brother Frank spent time together, they would talk about sports, a common interest. The brothers would play sports games with the other children and also joined the Boy Scouts together. Bob’s love for sports took him to high school where he played on the baseball, basketball and football teams.
Frank eventually gave up on his love for sports and the two brothers began drifting apart. Bob joined the Marines and served in Korea until age 22. During his service, he did not speak to Frank, but kept abreast of any family changes through his mother.
Bob returned from active duty and Frank approached him for a favor. Bob agreed and dropped Frank off at a bus station in Chicago en route to Iowa. Frank was a private man and never told Bob the reason for his journey. Bob respected Frank’s privacy and thought he would hear from him at some time in the near future.
“I thought we’d have contact,” Bob said. “But we never did.”
Time Elapsed
Years and years went by without a word exchanged between the two brothers. Bob married and had three children and worked for a printing company. His mother would visit Bob every year and let him know how Frank was doing, yet neither brother forced contact. Bob’s wife decided to mail Frank cards for several holidays, but she never received a response. She stopped after a few years.
Bob wanted to re-connect with his brother but his worries about how his brother would respond tied his hands. Decades passed and neither brother made an effort to talk.
“Strange, but that’s just how it goes,” Bob said.
In 1989, their mother had died and in 2000, their beloved sister passed as well, leaving Bob and Frank as the only remaining Heck family members.
The Reunion
Bob, in his 80s, is healthy and still a fan of sporting games. He attends church regularly and often contemplates his age and how his past became his present.
“You get to a point where you get old and you don’t have many years left,” Bob said. “The older you get, the more you start thinking.”
Bob’s wife, Ganelle, received a call from a man who referred to himself as Frank’s caretaker. He told Ganelle that Frank was on the line and he wanted to speak to his brother.
Bob immediately took the phone and according to Ganelle, Bob’s tone and conversation had a friendly vibe. He laughed and sounded like he was catching up on old times. Frank told Bob his health was poor since he had been living with diabetes.
The brothers talk regularly and plan to meet in person halfway between their two locations.
“We’ll stay in touch,” Frank said.
“That’d be good,” Bob said.
<Read More>Posted April 13th, 2012
Eighty-five year old Ralph Adams thought he would never see his long lost daughter again until after he had passed. But this Christmas proved to be one of the best in his life since he reunited with her after nearly thirty years.
Chandlee Chambers had been searching for her father since her mother had confessed to having an affair with him. Chambers realized she had a biological father out there somewhere and she was determined to find him.
Adams last laid eyes on his precious daughter when she was 1 ½ years old and Chambers never knew he existed until a little while ago. Once she moved to Florida, Adams lost touch and never saw her again.
Chambers finally found her father and the first call proved to be an emotional experience. “My mom had it on speaker phone where I could hear his voice,” she said. “The minute I heard his voice my heart dropped to my stomach and I started crying in the middle of the grocery store.”
Adams, who was in his driveway when his long lost daughter first contacted him, could not believe that the gift for which he had been waiting for three decades had finally arrived. “I couldn’t believe it. I felt like I hit the lottery that I got to be a millionaire,” said Adams.
The two are in constant communication with each other trying to make up for lost time. “We talk to each other 50 times. Every day she calls me. Every day, I call her,” said Adams.
Though father and daughter communicate on a daily basis, they are excited and anxious about meeting in person for the first time. Chambers realizes her father’s age and wants to spend as much time with him as she can. “I always tell him he is going to be 85. You’re old and I don’t have a lot of time. You’ve got to get here and he says I’m only as old as I feel,” she said.
At 85 years old, a father got his one heart’s desire—to reunite with his daughter. Every difficulty he faced and all of life’s ups and downs pale in comparison to this special holiday gift he received. After 30 years, his long lost daughter has finally come home.
<Read More>Posted April 12th, 2012
On Valentine's Day, 83 year-old Barbara Bugbee received the greatest love gift of her life, her long lost daughter. After 59 years, Barbara reunited with the daughter she gave up for adoption.
In the early 1950s, financial difficulties plagued the Bugbee home. Barbara had nine children and due to financial struggles she had to give up eight of them to foster homes.
Deborah Larson was 10 months old when she taken from her mother. Many years later, she discovered she was adopted when her adoptive parents passed away.
Barbara Bugbee, after 59 years of dreaming, was now faced with the reality of her deep desire. There she was, at the Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, waiting for Delta flight 3968 to land. The plane was carrying the daughter she had not seen in nearly six decades.
Barbara and her son, Clayton, along with his wife, Penny, were anxiously waiting to see Deborah’s face peek around the corner. Deborah sent them a picture so they would recognize her as she approached them.
“I’ve been nervous all day,” Barbara said, “My stomach is doing a jig.”
The happy family saw a wheelchair trudge toward them and they immediately knew it was Deborah.
Barbara and her long lost daughter met in a tight embrace.
“We’ve been waiting for this,” exclaimed Deborah “Unbelievable!”
“I never thought we would find her, because she’s been the hardest one to find.” Barbara said.
Deborah was at a loss for words. She was in shock at what was taking place.
“I’m just so happy,” she said, “I don’t know what to say; I don’t even know how to describe what we’ve gone through to find each other.”
Clayton was excited to meet the sister he never knew. He was born after Deborah had been given up for adoption.
“I’ve been wanting this for so many years,” said Clayton
Now that her precious daughter is found, Barbara is making it her life mission to find the rest of her birth children. This Valentine’s Day will be one she will never forget.
<Read More>Posted April 11th, 2012
It was the year 1977 when sisters Delores McCray and Cindy Philemon last saw each other. Nearly 34 years have passed since the two close relatives were separated.
The sisters were placed in foster care and taken to separate homes as teenagers. McCray was 19 when Philemon, 14, had been taken. Another sister and brother were also sent off to different locations and the four siblings were literally torn apart at the seams. “Me and my sisters separated (and) my brother moved down South,” McCray said.
Both women had always hoped and prayed that they would find each other again.
Philemon searched for months until her dreams had finally come true. She received a call from McCray’s case worker and all she heard before her heart leaped was, “We have a Dolores McCray, but I’m not sure if that’s her.” Philemon knew her search was complete. She had found her long lost sister.
“I was overjoyed, because that was my blood and that was my family,” Philemon said. “To me, she was my only relative.”
Margaret Heyward, an assistant resource coordinator with the Single Independent Living (SIL) program, found out that McCray, an enrollee, had just reunited with her sister over the phone. The SIL program aids people who are mostly self-sufficient but still need assisted living facilities.
Once Heyward and one of her staff coworkers discovered that McCray had not seen her sister in person in over three decades, they decided to take matters into their own hands and arrange for the two to meet.
“So we Googled her (Philemon) and we started finding pieces about her,” Heyward said. “When everyone (at Ability Beyond Disability) heard about the story, everyone was in awe with it anyway. Because of who Delores is, everyone jumped in.”
The clan also decided to graciously cover the costs to fly Philemon from Florida, her place of residence, to see McCray. They were also willing to cover her hotel expenses and estimated the cost of the trip to be $1,100.
Prior to the face-to-face meeting, the two sisters had reunited over the phone thanks to Philemon’s research abilities. But, the sisters were still anxious to see each other in person after so many years apart.
“She (McCray) didn’t have family and nobody to come visit her,” Philemon said, getting choked up. “So I asked my step-mom, ‘where was that place that they put Delores?’ So I started crying, because I didn’t know where to start.”
Philemon arrived at the Glen Hill Care & Rehabilitation Center where McCray lives. McCray, still in awe from reuniting with her sister, heard the knock on her door and immediately saw her sister standing in the doorway as if an angel had walked into the room.
Explosive emotion, hugs and kisses filled the room and the two sat together in an attempt to re-discover each other and pick up the missing pieces of their lives.
Philemon told McCray about her career as a singer and stage actor and began to sing old classics to her sister like, Sam Cooke’s, “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Gladys Knight’s, “You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me.”
Workers from the local nonprofit group, Ability Beyond Disability, made the entire reunion possible and to them the sisters will be forever grateful.
After the two sisters spent hours together rehashing old memories and discussing details about their lives, both vowed after 34 years to pick right back up where they left off.
<Read More>Posted March 30th, 2012
If you asked Roni Graham a question about who inspired her to become a teacher, she would unequivocally answer, Mrs. Greenhill in the 5th grade. Graham, now 60 years old and a third grade teacher at Central Park Elementary in Plantation, remembers the legacy left to her by her 5th grade teacher, Lorraine Greenhill, of P.S. 169 in Bay Terrace, NY.
After 50 years, Graham found her former teacher online and shared the story of the reunion with her third grade classroom. “It was so exciting,” Graham said.
Greenhill, now 84 years old and retired for nearly thirty years, lives in Palm Beach County. Graham invited her former teacher to the classroom to read to her students. Greenhill gratefully accepted the invitation.
Greenhill arrived at the school ready to read a book that would inspire the children. She chose “Thank you, Mr. Falker,” by Patricia Polacco. The author shared a similar story to Greenhill’s recent reunion and the book seemed like a perfect fit for storytelling time. The book discusses the special role teachers play in the lives of children. The main character of the story is a girl who has dyslexia. She learns to read with the help of her teacher who finds creative ways for her to see the letters.
Greenhill stopped to ask the children questions about the story and its illustrations. “See, the words tell us a lot, but the pictures do too,” she said.
Greenhill asked the children if they had any questions and at once 9-year-old Dimitri Douglas asked about living without the technology we have today. Other students asked why Greenhill became a teacher and also what type of student their beloved Mrs. Graham was when she was a student. Greenhill answered, “I remember that she was a nice young girl.”
“See, I told you.” Graham said gesturing to the children.
Greenhill told the students that she did not have a television in her childhood years even though much about the classroom was the same. “Children are children and you come back in and you feel exactly the same,” she said.
Greenhill had the pleasure of meeting with several other former students who were in the same class as Graham. Carol Sharon was in her 30s the last time Graham saw her. The three met for lunch before Greenhill visited with Graham’s class. Greenhill and Graham immediately recognized Sharon and knew her unique voice. “It was her voice,” Graham said.
It took Greenhill some time to remember the faces of the two little girls who graced her classroom. The last time she saw them they were young children. The former classmates showed their teacher a class picture which finally refreshed her memory. “Once they’re your children, they’re always your children,” Greenhill said.
Greenhill told the ladies she had worked in the school for eight years and eventually became a guidance counselor until she retired. She married her assistant principal, Robert, while she was at the school.
After the day was complete, Graham’s students gave the former teacher a school bag which they all signed.
“Thank you. This was such a treat for me to come to school,” Greenhill said. “This was something special.”
<Read More>Posted March 28th, 2012
This last holiday season, a mother and daughter spent their first Christmas together. For Julie Hacket, this last Christmas was a very special time and one she will never forget.
Nineteen year old Sandy Nilsson was forced to give up her daughter Julie for adoption. Though the decision was difficult, she knew it was best for her new baby since she felt she was not mature enough to be a mother. She sent her daughter off and always prayed she would go to a good home.
For 42 years, Sandy wondered what had happened to her daughter. Both mother and daughter would search for each other for decades. “Every year I would think about her and when the internet came up I started searching and searching and searching knowing that the adoptions were closed and Julie was the one to find me and I couldn’t find her which really hurt,” says Sandy.
The two finally reunited and shared many joyous moments and this season they spent their first Christmas together. Looking back, Julie reflected on the difficulties she faced with her search to find her long lost mother. “Basically this Christmas, I want to give the gift of hope and encouragement. The adoption records in the state of Montana are closed and it took me 42 years to find my mom by chance with social media,” says Julie.
The two met for the first time months ago and enjoyed a joyous and heartfelt time together. Though they already reunited earlier in the year, they were still overcome with emotion for their second meeting at Christmas time. Julie thought it would be easier to meet for the second time but her heart started racing just as much as it did during their initial reunion. “And then to see her standing with my father’s family who, he passed away and he would be so proud to know that I’m here with my birth mom,” she said
Julie’s daughter Jayden was also excited about spending the holidays with her birth grandmother and her new family. Julie was also thankful this holiday season that her adoptive parents were so supportive of her decision to locate her biological family.
For Julie and Sandy, the holidays will never be the same.
<Read More>Posted March 26th, 2012
Marjorie "Midge" Dodgen Starling, the oldest of three siblings, knew there was an older sister out there somewhere. As a child she remembered hearing the story of how her mother gave her sister up for adoption due to heavy financial constraints.
“I’ve known it for a lot of years,” said Midge. “I don’t ever remember not knowing. Mom didn’t have a lot back then and couldn’t take care of her, and so she gave her up.”
Bonnie, Midge’s mother, gave her firstborn up for adoption to foster parents in Georgia, which is many miles away from the mother’s home town in southwest Minnesota. Bonnie always thought she would go back and reclaim her precious firstborn but her financial burdens never made it possible.
Midge, though intent on finding her sister, never wanted to rock the boat with her mother. “She wasn’t sure if she wanted me to,” she said referring to her mother. “I think she was afraid of being rejected. But Mom has passed, and the four of us kids here, we just wanted to know.”
One day, while playing around on the computer at her youngest daughter’s house, Midge decided to start looking for her long lost sister. Within 30 minutes, Midge, along with her siblings, found her name on an adoption registry.
Their sister’s name was Virginia Grace Stewart from Pleasant Grove, Alabama.
Virginia’s Story
As a child, Virginia was misled about the details of her birth. She was never told about her adoption until her parents had deceased.
Virginia and her foster parents lived in Georgia and then Alabama, where she and her husband currently live. Both her parents worked hard, her father a security guard and her mother a textile mill worker.
As a teen, Virginia would often question her parents if she was adopted, but they would respond without any answers, alluding to the fact that she was not. “All she said was why would I ask such a silly question,” Virginia recalled, “and the way she said it, I never thought about it again.”
At 50 years old, Virginia finally discovered that she was in fact adopted, a suspicion that haunted her for half a century. “No one told me,” she said. “By the time I figured it out, my adopted parents were both deceased.”
Her revelation came upon her as she was witnessing the events surrounding her daughter, Ginger Boggan’s first pregnancy. Virginia never remembered her foster mother discussing her birth or the pregnancy nor any details about the hospital and what it was like. “And the youngest picture they had of me was at 3 months old,” she said.
Thankfully, her foster father’s brother was still living so Virginia approached him to get some answers. Her uncle was still holding back and reluctant to divulge the secret they had been keeping from her for so many years, but it eventually came out. Virginia first started living with her foster parents in 1947 and she was formally adopted in 1953 at six years old. “Turns out, all my aunts, uncles and cousins knew, but nobody told me,” said Virginia. “They felt obligated to obey my parents’ wishes.”
Armed with the truth, Virginia was on a quest for more answers. She apprehended a copy of her adoption petition and registered with the national adoption registry in hopes that her birth family would find her. She tried to find relatives by searching for some of the names on the records but she never found anyone. The reason why her searches came up empty was because her birth mother’s name was wrong on the petition.
Virginia hoped for the best but she never expected to hear from anyone.
Midge Writes a Letter
Midge, after discovering Virginia’s location, wrote her a letter and anxiously awaited a reply. Within a few weeks, while visiting her mother at the cemetery, she received a phone call. It was Virginia calling to confirm Midge’s identity.
“We were on the phone for probably 45 minutes. She wanted to make sure this was legit, make sure I was who I said I was,” Virginia said, “I gave her enough information so she knew I was the real deal. We’ve been writing and Facebooking ever since.”
Virginia recalls what she felt when she received the letter. At the time, she and her family were dealing with tornado damage and they were evacuated from their house. Upon returning home, Virginia noticed Midge’s letter in the mailbox. She did not believe it at first and it took some time for the reality of the situation to sink in. Virginia couldn’t believe that she had relatives living so far away in Minnesota. But she called anyways and the rest is history.
The Reunion
Finally after nearly a half a century the siblings would meet for the first time. Midge and Virginia were the first to meet. Virginia took the trip to Minnesota with her husband and daughter since it would be harder for the whole family to come and see her.
The entire family met for a reunion at the Atrium High-Rise in Worthington. Initially, Virginia wasn’t sure if they had arrived to the right place but her daughter had noticed something very special. “My daughter said, ‘Oh, we’re at the right place, Mom. There’s a whole bunch of people with their noses pressed up against the window and they’re jumping up and down,’” Virginia said.
Midge was thrilled to meet her older sister for the first time especially since it was the holiday season. “It’s a wonderful Christmas present,” said Midge.
During the reunion, Virginia shared photos of her childhood with her new family. She also was able to meet her other siblings at different times and all of them got a chance to connect with the sister they never knew.
Virginia’s new family was able to answer all of her questions and they proudly wore nametags so they could easily be identified.
“There are rhymes and reasons for everything,” said Virginia about how her life played out. “My parents couldn’t have children, and I think I completed their lives. … It was what it was supposed to be.”
<Read More>Posted March 23rd, 2012
Joe Goodman was given up by his mother fifty years ago because she was not financially able to care for him. Goodman spent his life wishing, hoping and praying to meet her.
Goodman’s prayers were answered and with the help of a friend he was able to locate his long lost mother and reunite with her after fifty years. He enjoyed a heartfelt reunion at his church in Pearlington and all the people he loved were there—his adopted family, his mother and his biological family.
The initial meeting was met with much joy and many tears. Once Goodman saw his mother, he dropped his cane and ran towards her waiting to engage in a long overdue hug. The mother and son embraced for several minutes and tears flowed without ceasing. You could hear both screaming almost in unison, “I love you! Thank you, Jesus!”
Goodman said, “This is the best Christmas gift I could ever have to really just to see momma. You know? To hug her, kiss her, I just love her and just missed her.”
Nettles hadn’t let a day go by without praying for her long lost son. “I have prayed a many days and nights, and my children they didn’t know. Some nights I cried, I cried and I cried. I asked the Lord let me see my children once again,” she said.
Nettles acknowledged that her prayers were answered this holiday season. Though she regretted giving up her son she thought it was the best decision at the time. She told her son as she wept, “I had to give you a better life than I could afford for you. I couldn’t stand it.”
“I’m glad you let me live,” Goodman responded with understanding. “You didn’t abort me. You put me in a nice home, and I want to thank her for that. Regardless of whatever the reason was I don’t worry about it; I just love her to death.”
The families finally settled down after many heartfelt moments and sang and rejoiced in the happiness of the reunion. Nettles reminded the whole family that if they asked the Lord for something with a belief that He will do it, what they desire can come to pass.
Goodman assured the family that the reunion was the first of many meetings and that he will never let his mother go. “I won’t lose her, no. I don’t care where she goes. If she goes to the other side of the earth, I will find her. I ain’t going to lose track of momma no more,” he said.
Goodman is still praying for one more reunion. He is searching for his brother Clarence Eugene Goodman. But with a newfound faith and a support system behind him, he made a promise to his mother that they would reunite with him one day.
<Read More>