At the age of 36, my entire world changed when I discovered I was adopted. It happened by chance, and the discovery sent me on a journey I could never have anticipated. When I finally found my birth mother, what unfolded was beyond anything I had imagined.
My adoptive parents passed away when I was 36. My father died first, suddenly, from a heart attack while he was sleeping. Just two months later, my mother followed, as if the weight of living without him was too much to bear. While their love story was beautiful in a bittersweet way, it left me alone, their only child, to handle all the arrangements and sort through their belongings.
As I organized their affairs, I came across a box tucked away in their closet. Inside were important documents, but among them was something I never expected—a letter addressed to me and some unfamiliar paperwork.
Curiosity led me to open the letter, and my hands trembled as I read its contents. It was from my birth mother. Alongside it were adoption papers confirming what I had never suspected: I wasn’t biologically related to the parents who had raised me. They had never mentioned it, and now, it was too late to ask them why.
The letter explained that my birth mother, Helena, had been just 18 years old when she gave me up. She had no support, no family, and no means to raise a child. In her words, placing me for adoption was an act of love—a choice to give me a better life. She ended the letter with heartfelt words: “I’m only doing this because I love you. I hope you have the happiest life. With all my love, Mom.”
Her name and address in San Antonio, Texas, were at the bottom of the page. I stared at it for a long time, unsure of what to do. Should I find her? Would meeting her bring pain to both of us? For now, I put the papers back in the box and focused on the overwhelming task of clearing my parents’ home.
Months passed, but the idea of finding Helena lingered in my mind. Eventually, I couldn’t resist the pull. I booked a flight to San Antonio, already knowing where she worked thanks to a quick search on social media. She was a waitress and barista at a small café.