It's a Miracle - PAXTV series

on this episode of it's a miracle an unlikely friendship teaches a young boy of valuable lesson he told me God made us all and it didn't make any difference whether you lack a wife but their friendship ends abruptly when his parents are forced to move and I did not have an opportunity to shake him and tell him that we were going but a chance encounter 75 years later will lead him back to his friend plus a young difficult decision to give her baby up for adoption I love that baby so much that I wanted to provide it the best home you could possibly have and I didn't feel as a 19 year old that I could do that but 28 years later they'll be reunited and how they discover each other will amaze you and now your host Richard Thomas hello and welcome to it's a miracle you know sometimes a story comes along that is so filled with humanity that it's simply overwhelming and our first story is one of these it spans nearly eight decades and chronicles a time in American history that many people would like to forget it's also a story of friendship and how planting the seed of tolerance in one generation can reap many rewards in the next but above all this is the story of a miracle Walter Smith of Richmond Virginia is a sculptor with an unusual media driftwood when I look at a piece of driftwood that has been treated by the time and it tells me something of what the tree encountered growing that shows its character in towns the story one summer day in 1996 our Commission for a new piece of artwork led Walter to the home of Violette Bluford movement I had read an article about Walter Smith and his unique driftwood arrangements when he came to visit he brought some marvelous pieces some idea what they look like when I'm finished I have not seen anything like them before nor after as Violette prepared refreshments for her visitor Walter notices something that intrigued him he'll let explain that it was her grandmother a woman known for her gift of storytelling I have such marvelous memories of her speaking stories I had one something of an amazing story when I mentioned to Walter that my grandmother was a wonderful storyteller while this is our do I have a story to tell you we had this gentleman so vegetables Walter spent the next hour recounting events in his life so rich in detail and emotion had it left vo left almost speechless when Walter finished his story I was overwhelmed with emotion as older is his words actually flow the way a poem would and I knew this was something really special that story is much too good not to be shared with the world she said I want you to promise me that you will write this down before you die I promise you I'll try and I'll bring you the first copy and I said if you think it's that important how we're doing I went home thought about it and very limited writing experience but the details were pretty easy to remember and as I started to write many memories came flooding back when I was eight years old the stock market crashed life changed so completely my dad had lost his job and we had very little cash on hand we had very few toys to play with in those days we made a lot of our toys we would have the tin cans and we'd use them as trucks or as a car one day long Camus man with a wagon with all sorts of vegetables fruit his name was king Brooks he was a Conley black man and cloud his farmed a few crop an old-new well if I take a couple squash and to care pilot picked out a few things that she needed and he's greeted me real nice so I asked a man I might ride down to the end of the block with him yeah I never ride show up it's okay with you mom and I it's okay with me but be careful alright come on up take it to the end of the road and drop y'all let's come on back home kick I thought I was sitting on the top of a mountain it looked like an awful long way down be up there and one down the street with quite a thrill I was disappointed when I was awarded for well this is the end of the line told by my little friend in the Brooklyn King let me get off and I was waving goodbye to him maybe so I wasn't fair i won mercy minimal I wanted to do that again Walters wish came true nearly every day that summer he wrote next to King as he made his deliveries you caught on McCracken horns horns Mainers beams he'd been in such a beautiful way I enjoyed hearing him singing to all these carrots down call out asking how much is tomatoes work he would tell him and I would take them to the porch bring him the money he taught it account he told me to make change 18 19 20 and a nigga was 25 I knew he was kind of slow and I was much faster than I was helping him by saving him the trip but it made me feel real good to feel like I was helping somebody else as the days passed Walter began noticing things that he hadn't before one of drinking fountains reliable toilet facilities were label the black people could not go in the white and white people for not going to the black aren't you thirsty mr. King yeah but I can't have a drink here son we're not well it's the whites only come on let's go I really didn't understand why black people were treated different to white people but at that young age I didn't question but he also refused to follow the rules when it was time for lunch King would pull model to the side and hit tie the feed bag on it then we were going to the store he would buy some stuff for us how about you two yet oh we got a knee-high cheese soda cracker how much I owe you sir 12 so 12 cents we would only have one drink between us vacation he couldn't afford to pay for any more than that let's get some of this wretched hey you know about cheese dumping rats after me said that only curb he would pass the drink to me I'd drink some out of it and he drinks him out of it and set it down between us so nobody would change he's got a towel because in those days black people and white people were not supposed to drink from the same vessels and Lord don't give him about the coat you got one call and I got enough oh don't get him about that he told me God made us all oh he gets better didn't making a difference whether you were black or white you know what boy you got a good heart he taught me about to be forgiving and take people regardless of age race or color all the same go slowly but surely this unlikely pair were becoming the best of friends and at the end of each day King would reveal his feelings in the best way he knew how if you have a great time be carefully we come back by my house and he would say we have licensed butter beans last year's potatoes awesome we have lots of potatoes like what can you use thank you thank you so much mr. Bravo oh you're very welcome and that was the way I was paid all right I felt very good did I was able to contribute something to the well-being of my family as the country slowly pulled out of the terrible economic depression of the 1930s the long summer days on the wagon also came to an end it wasn't too long after the third year that I worked 15 my dad got a job we moved out of the home that we'll be in so suddenly I did not have an opportunity to see King and tell him that we were going I was real sad that I didn't get to see King Brooks he had been a great friend and had done a lot for me coming up Walter returns years later to look for his old friend but King Brooks seems to have disappeared well have you seen him around you haven't seen him in a while when Walter Smith sat down to write a story from his past memories flooded back from a time when he was too young to understand hate and Prejudice and an unlikely friendship would teach him the true meaning of kindness and compassion even after his family were suddenly forced to move away these lessons would stay with Walter Smith years later as a young man he returned to the neighborhood in search of his old friend but King rooks seemed to have vanished things King Brooks will have you see him around it was only worn anything I could find that remembered him or I even live there he didn't have any idea where I could even look to find him he used to do this job selling vegetables he was a colored man I tried everything I'm sorry I can't help you no more I could do to find a king and the walls getting hot and heavy maybe it took me in and I went to war and then the church was absolutely stopped but the lessons he learned from King lived on one occasion I was on leave from my squadron and bus was loaded with people all white people in the front all black people the back the bus approached when his country stops aren't down on the road he picked up this colored gal that had a baby wrapped in full and then you'll see black people standing man would you like to pick my seat you need it more than I do right I'm more than happy to give it to me she said thank you Salem and she sat down in my seat Plus rode on a little bit rather and they came to a place in the bus Robin can get out of the middle of the road he pulled off okay lady back on the boss you know better sir I gave her my seat she goes at the back of the boss for the boss don't move he should young lady you've got to get up the law is the law you trying to make me lose my job no but I wish you stood up and when she did I should give me the baby it's okay and I looked up to him and I said is there a law against this not as I know well then get up there and drive the bus I held that baby for about two hours it made me angry when he told her she had to stand up on paper it made me angry because there was such a law in existence it just didn't make sense after the war Walter tried once again to find his old friend I saw her name's Walter Smith I want to know if you can help me find an old friend of mine it was a colored man and a hot stir around here to let him know yes sir what an impact he had on my life I can't help you he made indelible imprint on my time a real lot about kindness and compassion what caused other people next they may be able to help you thank you sir never did find the right person to talk to to tell me where he was the years passed and Walter raised a family of his own handing down King's legacy to another generation I did everything I could to teach them to be concerned loving Pyne human beings which goes back to what King was showing me it was a time of incredible change and Walter was encouraged to witness events that would reshape the country the civil rights movement mission begin we were able to see black people who were qualified to do jobs get the opportunity to do these people are being able to realize their goals in life without anybody saying hey you can't do that and I would love for little King books to see that happen and see that a part of life as God intended it I wanted to show people what kind of a man it takes to make this country great and I had prayed for an opportunity to put something together that would show both races that we can live in peace and harmony one seat Brooks planted years ago he planted in my heart that seeds of love from God above means true friends never part Walter had finished his story but little did he know that the pages he held in his hands were about to bring in a miracle the amazing conclusion when it's a miracle returns you when Walter Smith finished writing the story of his friendship with a black man named King Brooks he hoped that it would somehow touch other people's lives but he wasn't convinced my concern for what I had written was that it wasn't strong enough I wanted them to know what a good man King Brooks was and what a good man every one of us could be if we followed those examples I was hoping and praying that that message and a better America would come and so he had a secretary in his office professionally tied his manuscript the finished pages were then copied and he headed out to mail them to friends and family at that same moment a federal express courier was arriving at the office that particular day happen acacia and corn Amaya I just went over to him hey buddy how's it going oh thanks man what are you just as unexpectedly walter found himself eager to share a copy of his story with a virtual stranger and I'd like very much you read a copy of it okay what's it give me an opinion on it okay what's it about it's about my childhood as Walter told him about his old friend a vegetable vendor it stirred a memory from the young man's past one day I used to go with my father when I was a boy on a truck selling vegetables over a lot of fact oh yes I know a man live a vegetable but he didn't have a truck he had a wagon for my friend King King yeah King Brooks came Brooks did you know him that's my great-uncle man I've been looking for you the Friendly courier who had approached Walter for no rhyme or reason was none other than King rooks grand nephew Gerald works he said have a look for that may have seven-year he's enough I've been looking for you so that you could tell me where he lived oh yeah somebody my family's home is still there still it I could hardly believe I almost fainted God has seen to it that I got my desire that I got you either won't let you go I'm so Fred for him to go and leave me and go into the building without Fred something might happen to him before I could get him in my car and take him out and see where they house was it was an eerie feeling two days later Gerald and Walter traveled to the Brooks family farm Wow yes yes for Walter the old homestead was alive with king's presence in the five year I wanted to see this is what I thought of King Brooks having been there with the mule plowing the fields that we were standing in midst oh thank you again for bringing me out there let me see where King Live has meant a lot to me and I'll cherish the memory while I stood under the shade of the big tree it was almost as if he was still there in the midst of us asking the blessing on us after a lifetime of searching the little boy now an old man himself had been reunited with his dear friend here's your buddy when he showed her the gravesite I felt like I wanted to pick him up and say broke something back you could just feel the atmosphere Mikey and we're finally that again the experience was equally powerful for Geralt he turn around looked at me and he said I am so relieved then I finally found my king that's what he called my kids he was such a lovable person I got goose bumps I have never experienced that feeling for now probably never experience again that day was a special day in my life and today Walter and Geralt continue to remain an important part of each other's lives longer King and Walter must have had a beautiful relationship be young and let's take that relationship that love and transfer to have family today everybody say Sunday if the family they run out and we love to invite water you can feel a certain air but that he wants to be there he feels at home and we have a blast and family love I mean love him to death I feel that I have become a part of Geron Brooks is family and I am children could be accepted into that type of family because they are the family of God now fifty years after King rooks passing his spirit does indeed live on best thing to come out of this door from me King is machi I'm hoping that when they go out into the world that they will see that people shouldn't fight each other people can learn from each other if I can plant a seed in a kid today like my uncle King planning in Walter 70 years ago it'll all be worth it it'll pay off because that see flourished King Brooks was my friend he was my inspiration I love King Brooks because he gave me the formula to live by and to love by I always carry him in my heart forever we'll be back with another miraculous reunion right after this still to come a young mother is mystified by her son's artistic talent I didn't like think about where the talent came from I just knew that he had it it's just something he inherited from somewhere but not really sure where the answer to that question would change her life forever do you ever read the Sunday comics you have a favorite cartoon that you look forward to each week I do I can always use a good laugh but would you ever think of looking in the Sunday comics to find the answer to a mystery well that's what happens in our next story when the funnies suddenly become very serious from the time she was a small child Rhonda neighbors loved the Sunday comics I remember seeing my dad always reading in the comics and when I was old enough to read I started reading them as well we would read the comics together or sometimes if I read them first then I would go ahead and tell Dad about one of the strips that I read that I thought was especially funny even as a teenager I would always try to make an effort to read the comics at least every Sunday she's always been a favorite thing of mine to do even after Rhonda married and started a family of her own her enthusiasm for the sunday strips continued and in 1990 she discovered a new favorite I discovered Luanne when I was about 20 I liked the sense of humor and really thought the artist was able to capture this teenaged girls view of life in all of her situations all of her insecurities I just I loved it immediately like her father before her Rhonda shared this love with her own son Jonathan you kind of remind me of when my dad and I would read the comics together so it was kind of a joy to see that he was enjoying them as much as I was not only did Jonathan love reading the comics but at a very early age he began to display a talent for drawing them as well I knew pretty early on that he definitely had an artistic talent that I didn't have I didn't know I think about where the talent came from him I just know that he had it's just something he inherited from somewhere but not really sure where and then in 1997 an amazing series of events occurred that would eventually explain Jonathan's talents it all began when Rhonda paid a visit to the doctor do you know if this runs in your family I don't know I was adopted and during the course of her examination the doctor asked Rhonda questions about her medical history and learned that she'd been adopted if you could find that information for us doctor suggested that if I was able to obtain medical history be a great idea until then Rhonda had never chosen to look for her birth parents hi mom Rhonda I was hoping that you could look up the information about the attorney who did the adoption fortunately her mother had kept the attorney's name and address even though 28 years had passed ironically enough he remember the whole case and he sent me the information on my question I was scared to open the envelope I just I didn't know what I was gonna find Rhonda learned that in 1972 her parents had moved to Australia to become teachers and that her father had attended Valley State College in Southern California one piece of vital information that was very surprised about was the full names of my parents this will swit be a private adoption here it is in print Betty Dannette ransom and Gregory Clark Evans and after reading it over and over I began having some fears about finding my biological parents fear of rejection fear of what did they don't have anything to do with me what if they don't even want to give me medical information and I just kind of put the information away for a while because it would always just kind of make me feel that's kind of sadness in a way and just feeling like I'd lost my identity to ease her sadness Rhonda once again turned to the Sunday comics I was reading LuAnn and I don't normally pay attention to who the artists were but for some reason I happen to notice this strip is done by Greg Evans well that's my dad's name but what are the chances that this would be him there's probably a million Greg Evans's Rhonda decided to research the matter online at the Luanne websites I go to this website and begin reading this bio about Gregg it said that Gregg was born and raised in the Los Angeles area that said that he and his wife Betty lived in Australia for two years where they lived and taught I remember just kind of trembling and being frightened thinking oh my gosh I think this really is my biological father she only needed one more piece of information to be certain the name of the college he attended and so she decided to contact him but one question remained how can i probe for information without just coming right out and saying I want to know because I think I'm your daughter some kind divides this little email that I would probably rewrote about four or five times for actually sending dear mr. Evans my son is 11 and a very good artist he loves your comic strip and is interested in developing his own line of comic books as a career I would appreciate any information you could give me about your college background maybe the college you attended and the courses you were enrolled in to help my son and I planned his college career and I was very nervous when I hit that send button thinking oh my gosh you know if this is him then what am I going to do a few days later Rhonda received a reply Rhonda thanks for your note in the kind words about Luanne now for your son providing him every opportunity to develop his artistic skills is a step in the right direction Gregg's response was and not what I've hoped for because I asked him for the college he went to and he didn't tell me that so I thought oh okay now I've got to find another way to fish information out of this person after pondering the situation for several days Rhonda decided to use the direct approach dear mr. Evans I am going to be straight to point with you my last email asked what college you attended and for your wife's maiden name my reason for these questions is I think I may be your daughter and this I think was the hardest email of all to write up and send and I remember when I click send my heart just racing thinking okay you've done it then it's all I could think about the rest of the day was did he get the email did it read it what if he doesn't respond it off then you'll never know the answer to run this question when it's a miracle continues a packet of information sent from the attorney who arranged for her adoption has provided Rhonda neighbors with the names of her birth parents betty ransom and gregory evans and when the same name appears on her favorite sunday comic rhonda contacts him explaining that she might be his daughter and when greg evans receives her message it catches him completely by surprise when I got that email I didn't know what to think I think my heart was was in my throat and I could barely print this letter out and took it to Betty he said I have something I want you to read you better sit down so not having any idea what it was I read this email Rhonda's note brought back memories of the painful decision that she and Greg had made almost 30 years before they were college students when they learned that betty was pregnant unmarried and uncertain of their future together they decided to give up their baby daughter for adoption I love that baby so much that I wanted to provide it the best tongue it could possibly have and realistically I didn't feel as in 19 year old that I could do that so I made the decision that there would be someone out there who wanted a child and would love that child oh this is unreal Betty could hardly believe that the daughter she'd given up so many years ago had finally found her my heart was racing I was so elated there was a lot of what-ifs what if she's resentful what if she doesn't understand our decision but in the end we're both excited and we couldn't wait to meet her after two grueling days of hand wringing and checking email like every hour I finally got a response and I remember thinking oh my gosh am I ready to open this email dear Rhonda first I want to tell you that Betty and I are thrilled that you found us yes Rhonda we are your biological parents I just read that first sentence and just flew away from the computer and I ran another was like and the next day after she'd composed herself Rhonda dialed the number she'd been given and I remember just oh my gosh I got a voice now what do I do hi great oh my gosh hi Rhonda it's Rhonda there was so much to talk about I I do have long finger on a sound it's so excited and when I listen to Rhonda on the phone she sounded so much like Betty with just a Texas twang Betty's right here let me let you talk to her okay hi Rhonda it's daddy how are you we talked over five hours and when it was done the first thing Gregg said is oh my it's a little Betty and I think from that moment I knew she was my daughter and I already loved six months later in July of 1998 Rhonda and her son Jonathan stepped off a plane in San Diego California to meet their new family for the first Wow just like immediately we burst into tears and started hugging I just never expected it to be like that and it was just it was wonderful cookies some of your favor there was a little awkwardness in how we started talking and then we just sort of joked and that sense of humor that we have in our family sort of carried us through and it was really comfortable after that I think we're ever gonna get here I'm so very grateful and glad that she wanted to find us and let us know she was okay the main thing we both wanted Rhonda to know was that she was loved right from the beginning and that we wanted only the best for her not only did Greg and Betty find a daughter that day but also a grandson and a true chip off the old block we're real excited that Jonathan's had this cartoonist gene as Greg likes to call it and he of course was totally thrilled with that he was so proud I hope Jonathan has the same success I've had or more because he certainly has the talent and there's nothing more satisfying than finding a career that utilizes your talent and that you just absolutely love what you're doing is precious I never thought anybody my family has done anything really cool so I found out that Greg did blue and I was like well swear I get my drawing talent from it's kind of cool watching her newfound father together with her son only reinforces Rhonda's belief that she experienced a miracle my finding Betty and gray definitely had some kind of divine hand in it all these little clues I've had over the years I've always enjoyed reading the comics my son has his talent in drawing comics and I really think that when I stumbled across that website and found that information and sent that email it was just the perfect time for all of us I think life is a miracle and that every baby is a miracle but I think the miracle in Ronda is that she was a child giving for two families both early on and later in life and that she made room for both of us as Catholics my hope for the future for all of us for the whole family for both families is that we continue getting to know each other and growing and laughing and loving and happy holidays and good times together I want Rhonda to know that we love her and we're so happy that she's found us and we're back where we belong the best thing about finding my parents is to be able to tell them you made a good choice I had a good family at a good life and to be able to tell them thank you for doing that this has been a miracle for me and for my family with the Freedom of Information Act and other current laws more and more adoptive children are finding their birth parents but Rhonda's search was aided by something more something miraculous and we wanted to talk to her about that and so she joins us now along with her parents and her three children hello everyone how are you all doing guys now Rhonda when you first stumbled on your father's name in the Sunday comics did you have any idea that that would lead you to your mother as well no actually I really thought I would just find my mother first and maybe not find my father so it was quite a shock and a very pleasant surprise to find them both and to find them together a lot of times the parents don't stay together and so I mean was just it was really wonderful and it was I just can't believe it well what seems just as hard to believe is this whole cartoonists gene being passed down from generation to generation that's pretty remarkable it is because you don't find too many cartoonists around and to find one in your own family who's talented and interested is really extraordinary I I really expect him to do great things have you ever thought of incorporating any of these amazing events into your comic strip I have thought about it but I haven't worked out quite how to do it yet it's a complicated story but I think I might give it a try sometime well we have something special to add to your story that just might help bring a miracle into someone else's life Wendy's restaurants has agreed to donate $1,000 to your favorite charity thank you that would be great that is great it's their way of showing what a difference a miracle makes do you have any idea who you'd like the money to go to you know Richard we've lost several family members to cancer and I think as a family we would like to donate it the American Cancer Society yes I think that's wonderful I'm sure they'll appreciate it and we appreciate your taking time to tell us your story thanks Richard bye - bye bye bye we'll be right back if you'd like to share your miraculous story write to us or check out our website at it's a miracle calm well that's our show for now thank you for joining us and a special thanks to all the people who share their remarkable stories tonight on it's a miracle it's our hope that whenever you need one you'll find a miracle in your life too until next time I'm Richard Thomas goodbye you you

Channel: Cedar1956

Views: 76,203

Rating: 4.837491 out of 5

Keywords: It's a Miracle, Miracles, miracle, adoption, black and white, Richard Thomas, PAX

Id: r2kdUbaqebc

Length: 43min 6sec (2586 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 25 2016