Unknown Origin by Debra Levi Holtz

        

Most adoptees want to know who they are. The big question seems to be why was I given up? What was my birth mother like? Most adoptees do want to know and it has been easier lately to find out. There are steps to take to get copies of the birth certificate and the adoption papers.

Most people find their birth mother so that they can have a more accurate medical history and an idea of who they are

Some birth mothers don’t wish to be found.

It is heart breaking. But even harder is when a birth mother denies even having given birth.

Don’t say it can’t happen. It did for Debra Levi Holtz. And I would bet there are others out there.

She was fortunate to find a support group. And she has a supportive husband. But to not have a living birth mother who acknowledges your birth, that is hard.

Holtz is a reporter and writes a tale that keeps you reading on to see what happens next.

In her research, she finds her family of cousins and the classmates of her birth mother. They all agree the person who is the birth mother is a strange individual.

 They all had no idea of this individual having given birth, she had been so secretive, but they stand behind Holtz’s campaign to connect with the mother.

Intensive research and footwork and face to face contact went on.

Finally a point was reached where Holtz had to decide what to do with the facts. She had spent all this time verifying the truth. She had the documents and the photos. And still the birth mother refused to acknowledge the birth.

She decided to give up the attempt and send all the data to the birth mother.  It was finally acknowledged by Holtz that the photos and the research information no longer belonged to her.

Not all searches end up happy.