Mom reunited with son she put up for adoption 35 years ago
The decision to go through a pregnancy and put the child up for adoption is an incredibly personal one. And it’s a choice that roughly 135,000 women make every year in the U.S. alone.
Stacey Faix made that decision because she was only 15-years-old when she gave birth and not ready to raise a child.
Without even getting to hold him, she assumed she would never see her son again.
“They didn’t want me to hold him, they didn’t recommend it,” Faix told WTAE.
Much of the time, mothers can keep their identities a secret if they don’t want to be located later on. But more and more states are passing laws that make it easier for children to track down their birth parents, whether it’s to reconnect or to get vital family health information they may need.
The baby Faix gave up for adoption became Stephen Strawn. And when Strawn grew up, he decided to look for his birth mother. But he thought all hope was lost after his birth records were lost in a flood. However, in 2017, a new law gave him access to new documents, including his Faix’s name and state of residence.
The Ohio resident and military veteran used Facebook to search for his biological mother using just her name and state. He found a handful of women who fit the criteria but managed to narrow it down to one based on gut instinct.
Strawn took a chance and messaged her.
“I sent her a message and said, ‘Hey, I have a really weird question. Did you put a baby boy up for adoption in 1982?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘I think you may be my biological mom,’” he told ABC News.
Luckily Faix was happy to be back in touch. And the two even had quite a lot in common – both were members of a veteran support network called Team Red, White, and Blue (RWB).
And, believe it or not, they were both registered to run in a Pittsburg Half Marathon with their respective regional Team RWB chapters that year.
Once he realized they’d be in the same place at the same time, Strawn decided to surprise his biological mother with a reunion. So he got in touch with the Pittsburgh chapter of Team RWB to set up something special at the event.
The organization was happy to help and worked with Strawn to arrange the meeting and invite the media to record the event.
Once the day had come for the marathon/reunion, Strawn grew nervous.
As he gathered himself in another area, Faix was presented with a card by the organizers that her son had written.
In it, he said that it had been 13,075 days since they had last seen each other.
As she read the card, Strawn approached.
Faix didn’t see him coming, but the note would reveal that he was there.
Then, when Faix turned around, her 35-year-old son was smiling at her.
Stacey Faix got to hold her son for the very first time on that day. As you might imagine, it was a long and emotional hug.
Mother and son, as well as onlookers, were in tears at the sight of the sweet reunion.
The two were emotional and the adrenaline was pumping, but they decided to run the marathon – together.
After the mother and son crossed the finish line, Strawn got to meet more of his biological family, including some of his sisters.
He told reporters that everyone had an “ugly cry” before the group headed off for a cookout to get acquainted.
After the whirlwind reunion, Strawn and his biological family are planning to spend more time together.
Scroll down below to see the sweet moment when mother and son reunite.
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