Who Am I Really?

Katherine called me from Atlanta, Georgia. She grew up in a challenging environment with an adoptive mother on dialysis, an adoptive father who disengaged from parenting, and life lessons that taught her to suppress her emotions. Seeking connection, Katherin turned to the affection of men to fill the emotional voids in her life. In reunion, Katherin discovered her birth mother's struggles with mental health and gained a sister with whom she shares a close bond. However, building a relationship with her birth father has been difficult, as his wife harbors resentment over his past transgressions. This is Katherin’s journey. In Search of a Salve: Diary of a Sex Addict Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Amy shared her story with me from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She learned about her adoption before her teen years—a revelation that left her in shock but also helped her make sense of her family dynamics. In college, Amy’s coming out created a rift within her family, leaving her worried that pursuing an adoption reunion might lead to similar tensions. Thankfully, Amy’s birth mother embraced her happiness and wholeheartedly committed to supporting her in their reunion. Listen until the end when you hear how Amy had to adopt her own child even though she's married. This is Amy's Journey. Let me know if you'd like further adjustments! Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Virginia spoke to me from New York. When she was young, her single mother struggled to raise her and her two younger brothers, battling addiction and mental illness, which ultimately led to their family being separated. While Virginia was reunited with her mother, she was not reunited with her brothers and was devastated by the terrible news that she would never see them again. As an adult, Virginia felt something wasn't right about the story of her younger brothers. Determined to uncover the truth, she embarked on a mission to find answers. Although Virginia is not adopted, her brothers were. This is Virginia's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Bobbi, who lives in Montgomery County, Maryland, reached out as an ally to the adoptee community. After we chatted, she realized something important about her own journey. She shared her tale of generational kinship adoption, the heartbreaking discovery that her beloved granny had likely endured an assault, and the DNA discoveries of multiple adoptees who were placed from her own family tree. This is Bobbie's Journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Jean, from Boulder City, Nevada, shared that her raising parents had their flaws, from addiction to enablement, but she knows they loved her and they did the best they could with what they had in their toolbox. Searching for her birth mother, the woman was found quickly, their resemblance was shocking, and after discovering some disturbing facts about the woman's past, maternal reunion remains an unmet need for Jean. However, when she learned there would be no reunion, Jean could not have been in a better place than among other adoptees. This is Jean's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Curt, from in Las Vegas, Nevada, felt like something was off in his family when he was a kid, so he he set out to find his own way. As an adult, Curt got curious about locating his birth family, but chickened out on submitting a DNA sample to launch is search for reunion. On his maternal side, Curt was finally able to meet his birth mother, but she seems to be keeping him at arm's length. Curt's birth father knew he had fathered a child, prepared his family to hear from Curt one day, and was more prepared to welcome him into his life than his birth mother. This is Curt's Journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Patrice, from Northern Virginia, said that in her house adoption was never discussed when she was a kid. So her curiosity led to a secret search as an adult. While her birth mother had no plans to meet Patrice, in reunion, her birth father told everyone about his long lost daughter. Unfortunately, the loneliness of the COVID 19 lockdown drove a wedge between Patrice and her birth father. This is Patrice's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Sharon, from Springfield, Missouri, grew up in a small town as part of a large family. After leaving home, she became pregnant and was abandoned by the birth father. Following the placement of her daughter, she suffered in silence for years. For decades, Sharon hid her pain behind a smile—until the day her daughter found her. When they reconnected, they finally saw the beauty in each other. Sharon is a birth mother, and this is her journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Here is the edited version with improved grammar: Baya called me from Basking Ridge, New Jersey. She was raised in Germany by parents who grew up in post-World War II Germany, along with an abusive older brother. In her town, everyone knew Baya was adopted, and she even knew who her birth mother was. However, to this day, Baya has not yet reached the point where she feels ready to take the next step—coming face to face with the woman she has known about her entire life. This is Baya's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Jim, from Gilroy, California, Jim was born in the early 1960s in San Jose, California. His adoption story is complex, shaped by the trauma and loss his adoptive parents faced after losing their youngest biological son. For Jim, the love he sought from his adoptive father was elusive, replaced by emotional and physical abuse in his adoptive family. As Jim searched for his biological family he was disappointed by some misleading events. and he uncovered some unexpected connections and painful revelations. This is Jim's Journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Moses is an adoption trauma educator and therapist, but his own personal journey as an adoptee is one of hardship and resilience. To use his words, Moses was stolen from South Korea at the age of two, by his famous mother, to grow up as part of a transracial, international, and high profile family. However, beneath the surface of fame Moses faced deep trauma, isolation, and tragedy. His story raises challenging questions about the adoption industry, This is Moses Journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

When he was a kid, Bill saw clues here and there that he was adopted, but no one ever actually said it. It wasn’t until he called an uncle he’d never met before that the truth was revealed, turning Bill’s world upside down. Reunion with his birth mother was an emotional event with a woman who was told never to speak of his existence again. Bill talks about how he felt toward the father he grew up who took the secret of his adoption to his grave, and how redemptive it’s been to be accepted by his birth parents and his new siblings on both sides. Read Full Transcript Damon: 00:00 Hey there. I just wanted to take a sec to let you know that in between producing the show, chasing my son Seth around and generally living life, I took time to write a book about my own adoption journey. It’s called Who Am I Really? Of course. If you’d like to preorder a copy, go to WhoAmIReallypodcast.com and click shop where you will be redirected to the publishers bookstore. I hope to make it to your reading list. Okay, here’s this week’s show. Bill: 00:30 I just realized that what was so upsetting was all the stuff I had missed. I missed 54 years with these people. I missed 54 years with my parents. I missed 54 years with my aunts and uncles and my sisters that I’ll never get back and that was really, really weighing on me and I just, I got to a point where I learned that I have to just accept that and I got to try to get past it. Voices: 01:05 Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Damon: 01:16 This is Who Am I Really? A podcast about adoptees that have located and connected with their biological family members. I’m Damon Davis and on today’s show is Bill. He called me from Virginia Beach, Virginia. When he was a kid, Bill saw clues here and there that he was adopted, but no one ever actually said it. It wasn’t until he called an uncle he’d never met before that the truth was revealed, turning Bill’s world upside down. He talks about how he felt toward the father he grew up with after learning the news and...

Sara, from Seattle, Washington, was an over achiever adoptee who was secretly struggling and going off the rails. She intentionally avoided babies until her sister gave birth.. and having kids of her own drove home just how precious babies are. Sara feared reunion would literally kill her adoptive mother. But in reunion she finally heard from her biological mother that they looked just a like, a comment she had waited to hear her whole life.This is Sara’s journey.

John Dorenbos, the Magic Man, contacted me from his home in Los Angeles. John grew up in a wonderful family until he was 12 years old, when he came home from playing and learned that his mother was taken from him. John made it through his family's tragic turn thanks to kinship adoption, lots of counseling, and two outlets he is eternally grateful for --football and magic! John had a long career in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, but an injury that forced him off the field ultimately saved his life. What you're about to hear is the magic of a man who lives the power of positivity. This is John Dorenbos's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Lynn retains a New York accent, but she called me from North Carolina. As a young girl, Lynn should have been a carefree time in Lynn's life, but her home was a chaotic place. She said characterizing her home life as having a few challenges will be like saying Noah's Ark experienced a little rain. Instead of being a carefree kid. Lynn told me that she felt a responsibility for her younger siblings who experienced the same chaos she lived through at home. She was searching for a place where she would matter to someone at a young, vulnerable time in her life. Pregnant with nowhere to turn, she placed her daughter for adoption, the hardest thing she's ever been forced to do. In reunion, Lynn was stunned to receive her daughter's call out of the blue. She was thankful at how quickly they were able to see each other but is disappointed that the relationship has not gotten deeper. Lynn is a first mother, and this is her journey. SURVEY: Preliminary Exploration Into Adoption & Reunion Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Ken grew up in a mixed home with both biological and adopted siblings. While Ken was loved and treated equally, when his son was born, he felt the urge to learn more about his birth mother. When he found the woman living nearby, she answered Ken's phone call with inspiring words, expressing her expectation of that moment finally happening for her one day. Ken said there was a moment with his birth mother when it felt like time was standing still. With her, he finally feels like he can be himself without people-pleasing behavior. This is Ken's journey. I Will See You Again, by K. R. DeStefano Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Regina spoke to me from her home in North Carolina. When Regina was a child, she learned she was adopted and how other kids cruelly viewed adoptees. She never told anyone about being an adopted person until the big reveal in adulthood. After seeking counseling to overcome the monster of adoption, Regina finally sought reunion. She found her birth mother and father in the same day, and eventually heard from her siblings that she was fortunate for the opportunities that adoption provided her. This is Regina is journey. Book- Adoption: The Unknown Blessing Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

Steven, from Bainbridge Island, Washington—across the Puget Sound from Seattle—shared his that when he was a kid, it only took one incident to solidify his resolve never to ask his adoptive mother about his adoption. In a maternal reunion, Stephen was confronted with the reality that, while his birth mother was not mentally capable of taking care of herself, she never forgot about her son. On his maternal side, it was DNA testing that finally gave Steven the breakthrough he needed after decades of inquiry. This is Steven's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbeanCastbox

Lena, from just north of Tampa, Florida grew up surrounded by adoptees. However, as she got older, Lena began to feel how different she was. While working toward her degree in social work, Lena's studies unexpectedly led her down the path to reunion. While her birth father has been nothing but supportive, Lena said she can't force a maternal reunion with someone who has not healed yet herself. This is Lena's journey. ​ Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean

One of the important things to do when sharing adoptee stories is try to empathize with our birth mothers. This is a special presentation of the "Who Am I Really?" podcast for "Birth Mother's Day". Working with Ed DiGangi (ep. 130) we highlight the stories of three birth mothers, Yvonne, Sarah, and Laura who share their personal stories of being stigmatized, coerced, and misinformed about their child's adoption. They share their struggles carrying the memory of the children they placed, the process of mental and physical recovery from giving birth, and the secrecy some held for years about what they had endured as young women. Birth Mother's Day is observed on the Saturday before Mother's Day in order to honor birth mothers' experiences. D. Yvonne Rivers - Host of Birth Moms Real Talk podcast Laura Engel - Author of You'll Forget This Ever Happened Sarah Maury Swan - Writer and multiple book author Ed DiGangi, Adoptee - Author of The Gift Best Given Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? WebsiteShare Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneInStitcherPlayer FMPodbean