Anxious Man Meets Birth Mother Who Cradled Him For 6 Hours Before Giving Him Up For Adoption (Video)
In the past, adopted children would face tremendous challenges in trying to find and reconnect with their biological family members. In this day and age, however, thanks to the internet and the growing popularity of genealogy companies such as 23andMe, CircleDNA and Ancestry, it’s becoming easier than ever before for adoptees to connect with their long-lost families. Jeff Snyder is one man who in 2019 used technology and DNA databases to help him find the woman who gave him up for adoption more than 50 years ago.
Snyder, who hailed from Tampa, Florida, confessed he was a touch uncertain about submitting his DNA to Ancestry, convinced he would probably come up with no matches at all. But, despite his uncertainties, he thought it might be worth a try. He told Fox 29:
“I really hadn’t planned on doing it to find anyone. I just kind of put myself in the registry to see what would happen and see kind of what would perk out of it.”
For a while, it seemed like Jeff was probably right, that the test was simply an act of futility. However, after waiting two years, he finally heard back in the wee hours of the morning from a woman named Judy Newkirk.
“I got an email back in October at three in the morning, see an email from a lady named Judy Newkirk and it’s my birth mother. It says ‘Hi, I’m your birth mother,’” Snyder told the news outlet.
With the introductions out of the way, the pair set up a meeting face-to-face for the first time in more than five decades. When the big day came, Snyder headed to the airport to meet her and felt a mix of apprehension, anticipation and full-on nerves.
After Snyder took the plunge and invited Newkirk to his Florida home, their meeting was set for February 2019. At the airport, cameras were on hand to capture the once-in-a-lifetime moment. Before passengers began filing out, Snyder looked anxious but excitable.
“It’s almost like a first date,” he told Fox 29. “You get the butterflies, you get the trepidation, you don’t really know what’s going to happen or how things are going to work.”
But when Jeff caught sight of his mom walking into the airport, all of his anxiety seemed to melt away as he walked toward her and called out to her, “Hi pretty lady!” Upon seeing her boy, Judy was instantly overcome with emotion. They both held each other in a tight embrace before Snyder said “Welcome to Florida … Welcome to my life!” This prompted Newkirk to hug her son again as she tried her best to keep her composure. Newkirk explained she was beyond excited to be able to embrace her son again after 51 years apart.
“I held him for six hours, 51 years ago,” Newkirk said, holding back tears. “And this is the first time I get to do it again.”
Newkirk gave birth to Snyder in 1967 before giving him up to his new adopted family.
When asked how he felt after the reunion, Snyder could only say he was “a bit overwhelmed, maybe.” He also had some parting words for those who may be feeling hesitant about using DNA technology to reconnect with those from the past.
“I’m a success story, I’m one of the happiest success stories. I’m lucky,” he said. “I encourage people to keep trying and do whatever they can. Find them, you’re going to be happy.”
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