Help 2 Adoptees Meet Their Family
Donation protected
We are raising money so we can finally meet our biological family for the very first time. Below is my story.
At 5 days old, I was taken away from my biological mother, Susan, by social workers, and placed in a foster home because she used drugs and drank alcohol while pregnant. I went to a very loving home on my (then) foster brother’s birthday. When he was alive, he always told me that I was his best birthday gift ever.
At age 3, I was finally adopted by that same family, the Bromley’s. I can still remember going to court, and being asked by the judge if I wanted to live with the Bromley’s forever, and replying yes. I can also remember him giving me an orange sucker, and me happily skipping back to my chair. I was declared a Bromley!
Shortly after turning 13, I asked my mother what my biological mothers name was. She said Susan Marguerite Ratliff McCool. She also said that I had an older brother by about 5 years named Johnny. I asked some other questions, and how to get in touch with both of them. She said that she thought she may still live in St. Louis, but wasn’t sure about my brother. So I went to the Olathe Public Library (Olathe, Kansas) and looked through the St. Louis phone books, and searched her last name. I called some names that were close to hers, but didn’t get any positive results. For the next couple of years, I did this, hoping to find her.
Then the internet came of age, and I searched for her name there. Nothing! I’d quit and try again, quit and try again over the years. With Missouri being a sealed record state, that didn’t help me feel any better.
I called social workers every now and then trying to get identifying information on Susan. Anything that would help. One day, a social worker said that she would send me a diary of her life when she was pregnant with me, and after. I said, “Great!” When it arrived, I immediately read it. It was heartbreaking, but I didn’t care - I still wanted to find her. I had to get to her, and I also had to find Johnny.
Finally on December 17, 2017, just a few days after my 40th birthday, I had enough of my own procrastination and thinking I’d never find Susan or Johnny. I went to Walmart, bought some poster board, ran to Starbucks, and then went home. Matt, my boyfriend, arrived home and helped me write it all up. We got it ready, and after 10 pictures, I picked the one to post on Facebook. It was perfect. I expected it to be shared maybe 50 times. Within a few hours, we were around 350 shares! By the next day, we were at 1,000! I told Matt, “this is getting big fast!” A few days later, we were near 4,000. Then 5,000, and so on. I couldn’t believe it.
Search angels got to work immediately. Messages poured in from all over the U.S. for prayers, love, hope and support. Newspapers, radio stations and news outlets wanted interviews. I wanted to find my biological family, and I wanted to spread the message of hope, and to never give up on anything.
People messaged me with leads on who they found. None of them were Susan, or Johnny. Then a lady came forward and said she knows who Susan is, and Johnny. She gave me information that only my family and very few people knew. She got my attention and I knew she was the real deal. She sent me a picture of Susan when she was was about 19 or 20. I was looking at my biological mother for the very first time! I nearly cried! We talked and talked about family members. She said she would help me find everyone. With her help, search angels were able to find my biological mother, brother, a grandma (who I thought had passed away) and two uncles I never knew I had.
I recently learned where everyone is located: Susan is in Mesa, Arizona, John is in Dallas, and my grandma and two uncles are in St. Louis. I would love for John to meet my adoptive parents in Olathe, Kansas, and I can’t wait to meet John’s adoptive mother in Georgia.
On January 19, 2018, I met my brother for the very first time. He didn’t know he had a sister. Meeting him was indescribable. “Awesome” is the only word I can come up with.
Both John and I want to meet our biological mother, our grandma and two uncles. Since there will be a total of 5 of us traveling, airfare, hotels and food will get costly quick. Our grandma is very old (91), and we want to meet her as soon as possible. We are asking for the public’s help for love and support.
Even $5.00 helps. Help us meet our biological family for the very first time! Thank you!
For updates, news stories, newspaper articles and radio spots, please add us on Facebook at Janel Adkins or John Garrett.
If you would like to donate another way (in person or through mail), please call or text message me (Janel) at nine one three [phone redacted]. If I don’t answer, please leave a voicemail.
Find me on Venmo at @Janel-Adkins or on Square Cash at $JanelAdkins.
If you’d like to personally send it to my home, please email me at [email redacted].
Thank you for your help from the both of us - stay tuned for updates on our Facebook pages.
At 5 days old, I was taken away from my biological mother, Susan, by social workers, and placed in a foster home because she used drugs and drank alcohol while pregnant. I went to a very loving home on my (then) foster brother’s birthday. When he was alive, he always told me that I was his best birthday gift ever.
At age 3, I was finally adopted by that same family, the Bromley’s. I can still remember going to court, and being asked by the judge if I wanted to live with the Bromley’s forever, and replying yes. I can also remember him giving me an orange sucker, and me happily skipping back to my chair. I was declared a Bromley!
Shortly after turning 13, I asked my mother what my biological mothers name was. She said Susan Marguerite Ratliff McCool. She also said that I had an older brother by about 5 years named Johnny. I asked some other questions, and how to get in touch with both of them. She said that she thought she may still live in St. Louis, but wasn’t sure about my brother. So I went to the Olathe Public Library (Olathe, Kansas) and looked through the St. Louis phone books, and searched her last name. I called some names that were close to hers, but didn’t get any positive results. For the next couple of years, I did this, hoping to find her.
Then the internet came of age, and I searched for her name there. Nothing! I’d quit and try again, quit and try again over the years. With Missouri being a sealed record state, that didn’t help me feel any better.
I called social workers every now and then trying to get identifying information on Susan. Anything that would help. One day, a social worker said that she would send me a diary of her life when she was pregnant with me, and after. I said, “Great!” When it arrived, I immediately read it. It was heartbreaking, but I didn’t care - I still wanted to find her. I had to get to her, and I also had to find Johnny.
Finally on December 17, 2017, just a few days after my 40th birthday, I had enough of my own procrastination and thinking I’d never find Susan or Johnny. I went to Walmart, bought some poster board, ran to Starbucks, and then went home. Matt, my boyfriend, arrived home and helped me write it all up. We got it ready, and after 10 pictures, I picked the one to post on Facebook. It was perfect. I expected it to be shared maybe 50 times. Within a few hours, we were around 350 shares! By the next day, we were at 1,000! I told Matt, “this is getting big fast!” A few days later, we were near 4,000. Then 5,000, and so on. I couldn’t believe it.
Search angels got to work immediately. Messages poured in from all over the U.S. for prayers, love, hope and support. Newspapers, radio stations and news outlets wanted interviews. I wanted to find my biological family, and I wanted to spread the message of hope, and to never give up on anything.
People messaged me with leads on who they found. None of them were Susan, or Johnny. Then a lady came forward and said she knows who Susan is, and Johnny. She gave me information that only my family and very few people knew. She got my attention and I knew she was the real deal. She sent me a picture of Susan when she was was about 19 or 20. I was looking at my biological mother for the very first time! I nearly cried! We talked and talked about family members. She said she would help me find everyone. With her help, search angels were able to find my biological mother, brother, a grandma (who I thought had passed away) and two uncles I never knew I had.
I recently learned where everyone is located: Susan is in Mesa, Arizona, John is in Dallas, and my grandma and two uncles are in St. Louis. I would love for John to meet my adoptive parents in Olathe, Kansas, and I can’t wait to meet John’s adoptive mother in Georgia.
On January 19, 2018, I met my brother for the very first time. He didn’t know he had a sister. Meeting him was indescribable. “Awesome” is the only word I can come up with.
Both John and I want to meet our biological mother, our grandma and two uncles. Since there will be a total of 5 of us traveling, airfare, hotels and food will get costly quick. Our grandma is very old (91), and we want to meet her as soon as possible. We are asking for the public’s help for love and support.
Even $5.00 helps. Help us meet our biological family for the very first time! Thank you!
For updates, news stories, newspaper articles and radio spots, please add us on Facebook at Janel Adkins or John Garrett.
If you would like to donate another way (in person or through mail), please call or text message me (Janel) at nine one three [phone redacted]. If I don’t answer, please leave a voicemail.
Find me on Venmo at @Janel-Adkins or on Square Cash at $JanelAdkins.
If you’d like to personally send it to my home, please email me at [email redacted].
Thank you for your help from the both of us - stay tuned for updates on our Facebook pages.
Organizer
Janel Adkins
Organizer
Hopkinsville, KY
