'Life is a puzzle': U.S. airman turns to Facebook to find his mom
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SEATTLE - With just a marker, a posterboard and a photo, one man is hoping to close a huge gap in his personal history.
He's trying to unlock a 30-year-old mystery - using Facebook - and in just two days the response to help him has been overwhelming.
His story is just the beginning of a trend, as more and more people turn to social media in the hopes of answering some personal questions.
His name is Adrian McPherson, and he is on a mission. He's known for years that he was adopted - but his knowledge of his birth mother is limited. Two days ago he wrote everything he knows about her on a posterboard.
"We know that her name might possibly be Lisa, but we're not sure," he says.
His wife snapped a photo and shared the picture on Facebook.
"Hey, you know this is the time right now - before everyone starts doing it, and nobody pays attention," says McPherson.
He took action after learning a Utah woman did the very same thing - and found her birth mom in just three days.
McPherson was born in 1979 at Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington. He was adopted just five days later through an agency that has since changed hands through the years. He learned it would also be very costly to hire someone to dig through the paperwork and cut the red tape.
"I just remember knowing that I was adopted," he says.
Raised by a loving family in Oregon, he's always had questions.
"My life hasn't really been any different than anyone else - except wanting to know your roots, your background," he says.
For example, he would like to his family medical history. But more than that ...
"Our life and identity is a puzzle, and one puzzle piece is missing," he says.
Of course, there's always that chance that his birth mother doesn't want to be found.
"If she doesn't want to have anything to do with it, and just leave it behind - I'm OK with that as well," McPherson says.
Today he is a U.S. airman, a husband and father.
"I feel like she should know," he says.
His mission is to serve others. "That's fulfilling for me," he says.
And who knows - maybe he got that passion from her.
"I definitely think she would be proud," he says.
Just 48 hours after it debuted on Facebook, his picture has been shared thousands of times.
"I didn't realize that my picture would be all over the world," he says. "It is a bit overwhelming."
His photo has been shared nearly 57,000 times, garnered over 13,000 likes and spurred almost 4,000 comments.
"I had no clue it was going to blow up this big," he says. "We figure we'll go this route and see what happens ... just to be able to say thank you for the decision she made at the time."
Every click and every share breathes new hope into his mission.
"I always feel like there's a little bit missing," he says. "I hope that we can meet someday, and if it develops into a relationship then that's what I'm hoping for."
McPherson now resides in California - and says he's grateful for all the online supporters and hopes this is the key to finding his biological mother.
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If you'd like to contact McPherson, send him an email at Annastasia.Mcpherson@facebook.com.
You can view his Facebook photo here »
He's trying to unlock a 30-year-old mystery - using Facebook - and in just two days the response to help him has been overwhelming.
His story is just the beginning of a trend, as more and more people turn to social media in the hopes of answering some personal questions.
His name is Adrian McPherson, and he is on a mission. He's known for years that he was adopted - but his knowledge of his birth mother is limited. Two days ago he wrote everything he knows about her on a posterboard.
"We know that her name might possibly be Lisa, but we're not sure," he says.
His wife snapped a photo and shared the picture on Facebook.
"Hey, you know this is the time right now - before everyone starts doing it, and nobody pays attention," says McPherson.
He took action after learning a Utah woman did the very same thing - and found her birth mom in just three days.
McPherson was born in 1979 at Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington. He was adopted just five days later through an agency that has since changed hands through the years. He learned it would also be very costly to hire someone to dig through the paperwork and cut the red tape.
"I just remember knowing that I was adopted," he says.
Raised by a loving family in Oregon, he's always had questions.
"My life hasn't really been any different than anyone else - except wanting to know your roots, your background," he says.
For example, he would like to his family medical history. But more than that ...
"Our life and identity is a puzzle, and one puzzle piece is missing," he says.
Of course, there's always that chance that his birth mother doesn't want to be found.
"If she doesn't want to have anything to do with it, and just leave it behind - I'm OK with that as well," McPherson says.
Today he is a U.S. airman, a husband and father.
"I feel like she should know," he says.
His mission is to serve others. "That's fulfilling for me," he says.
And who knows - maybe he got that passion from her.
"I definitely think she would be proud," he says.
Just 48 hours after it debuted on Facebook, his picture has been shared thousands of times.
"I didn't realize that my picture would be all over the world," he says. "It is a bit overwhelming."
His photo has been shared nearly 57,000 times, garnered over 13,000 likes and spurred almost 4,000 comments.
"I had no clue it was going to blow up this big," he says. "We figure we'll go this route and see what happens ... just to be able to say thank you for the decision she made at the time."
Every click and every share breathes new hope into his mission.
"I always feel like there's a little bit missing," he says. "I hope that we can meet someday, and if it develops into a relationship then that's what I'm hoping for."
McPherson now resides in California - and says he's grateful for all the online supporters and hopes this is the key to finding his biological mother.
----
If you'd like to contact McPherson, send him an email at Annastasia.Mcpherson@facebook.com.
You can view his Facebook photo here »
The time to enact adoptee rights bills is now. Â For too long, we adoptees have had to jump through all kinds of hoops just to find out the most basic information about ourselves. Â The laws that govern adoption are unjust and archaic, and there is no excuse in this interconnected age to deny full-grown adults access to their own original birth certificates. Â Current laws treat the adopted adult like a second-class citizen. Â We and our original parents are all grown up now, and we can handle our very private business all on our own, without agency or government interference. Â Most original parents are open to contact, and those who aren't can simply say no, just like any other citizen who does not desire to pursue a relationship. Â There is a difference between knowledge and a relationship, and it is ethically wrong to willfully deny an adult knowledge about his or her own beginnings. Â Let's move on, already! Â This is the twenty-first century, not the Middle Ages.
Imagine if we had Adoptee Rights Legislation passed in all 50 states.
Imagine a world where adult adoptees could access their birth records like EVERY other American and know the name they were given. Is there really something so inherently wrong about adoption that it turns adoptees into stalkers? Will they all start frothing at the mouth if they find out their motherâs names? What happened to the poor baby that everyone cared so much about now that they are grown adults who want to exercise their human right to know where they came from.
Imagine if an adoptee could file for their Original Birth Certificates just like everyone else. Imagine if the rules were air and equal and we did not put adult adoptees into a second class of citizenship. Imagine if they could make their own choices and forge their own relationships if they did or didnât want to. Imagine if they had a choice. Imagine if they could find their mothers and father and sisters and brothers when they wanted to, how they wanted to, without paying fees, or signing or for registries or hoping for judges to grant them court orders that hardly ever go through.
Imagine a world where we let adult make decisions that affect their lives. We let them fill out their medical forms with more than an unknown. We let them know the branches of their family tree. We let them know whose nose it is perched upon their face.
Then they wouldnât have to post pictures of themselves on Facebook holding signs with personal information all over.
Then they wouldnât have to beg for strangers for shares in order to find out who they look like and if cancer runs in their family.
Then we would have a country that has faced the reality of adoption and adoiptees; Adoptees have a RIGHT to know their true idenity.
Imagine that.
Then call your state legislators and tell them that you are sick and tired of seeing these adoptees all over Facebook. Tell them that you find Adoptee Rights IMPORTANT and that they should PASS them.
There are bills currently in several state capitols that need support:Â http://www.adoptionbirthmothers.com/adoptee-rights-bills-to-support-in-2013/
Plus the Adoptee Rights Coaltion's Annual Demonstration in August:Â http://www.adopteerightscoalition.com/p/ard-13.html
And for anyone searching, there are many efforts form the Adoption community to collect the images together and where to share then so they get out!
http://www.adoptionbirthmothers.com/collecting-the-adoptees-and-families-searching-images-on-facebook/also one finial thing, in states and countries where adoptees have had their rights restored; less than 1% of the Birthmothers found do not desire contact with their grown children. We do not move on and we do not forget.
There are so many adult adoptees doing this now and I wish all of them the absolute best with their journey to their natural family <3 Â Kinda goes to show that we all are like our natural parents and that "missing puzzle piece" is always a part of us. Â I hope that this somehow helps the adoption movement to focus on what's best for adoptees rather than focusing on what's best for adopters.
I hope he finds the answers he is seeking and I also hope that the birth mother/father and their families want to meet him too. I know a couple girls back in high school who gave up their children for adoption. It was heart-wrenching for them, but they did it out of love. They thought that their children would have better lives with an adopted family. Even years later, they think about those children and I know if they had a chance to meet them and have a relationship with them, they would.
Just a broad and generic comment, from a guy with some experience in the matter. Your life is what you make of it, genetics aside. In most cases your body will reap what you sow. Your family are the people who love you, and know you and are present and involved in your life. And last: You are an American, and THAT is what is most important. I hope you get the answers you seek. Some of us find different answers. Best wishes.
It's good somebody wanted you. That's all.
I have several friends who were adopted, and I know how painful it can be to have that gap in your life. I hope he does find his mother. Social media can certainly be a much faster way of finding her if he posts a few pertinent details about her and the time of his birth, since her friends or neighbors from the past may be able to piece it together (location and timing of birth coincides with when so-and-so went to "visit her aunt" for 5 months, etc.) even if the mother herself doesn't see the posting. But I'm concerned that this could also lead to her being "outed" on Facebook which would be a problem if the mother does not want the world to know about her past.
 @Central
 I have some friends that were adopted and I would never say I understand how painful it can be. Yeah you can sympathize and imagine what it would be like to not know who your biological parents are but if it hasn't happened to you it's rude to assume you know what it feels like in my opinion.Â
@ThEnOrThWeSt
You're absolutely right. I made a poor choice of wording. I should have said that I know how painful they have said it is.
I saw this on FB the other day but you know what I thought was strange.... his name was not listed on the photo!! It might have been useful. Just saying.Â
Good luck. I found my birth father just a few months after he'd passed away. I tried. It's really not easy especially since, as well as name changes, for many years birthdates could be altered by the adoptive parents (not allowed anymore). My "official" birth certificate (showing my adoptive name/birth date) is really very fraudulent.
I hope this works out for him.
I hope this works out, but sometimes not everyone wants to be found.Â
Life so puzzling... like a puzzle.
Good idea and i hope you are successful!
Good luck, I hope you do find her.Â
Why doesn't he just ask his twin brother, Jason Bateman?
 @Bubba Gunners OMG! You're right! Dead ringers! :)