Long Lost Family (UK) S07E01

for thousands of people across Britain someone is missing from their lives I just want my dad and it hurts not having it in my life what's allowances about where I've come from I've wanted out every single day of my life I've got a big sister where is she and why didn't I know about her finding someone when the trails gone cold can feel like an impossible task but that's where we step in we found your dad really offering a last chance to people desperate for help from DNA technology to painstaking detective work we've traveled the world uncovering family secrets and tracing people that no one else could find John hi okay and finally answering questions that have haunted entire lives I loved you I knew you this week a first for long-lost family a divorced couple bonded by their need to find the son they were forced to give up as teenagers we've missed so much of his life we're never going to get that back I can't get over the shame of it as I get older it's just got per her sabores and a woman haunted by not knowing her birth mother she gave me life whatever the outcome I need to know who she was [Music] our first search comes from London and a divorced couple United in the search for their eldest child even now a divorce we're always going to be a family always but there's one of us missing given him that was the worst thing we ever done guilt sometimes it's unbelievable he is our son he's missed out on a complete family drama deadened and two sisters Marion Williams and James McDonald first met when they were seven years old as school children here in Catford South London I think virtually every day after school we used to play here Marion was raised by her grandparents and James lived two streets away with his family I used to see her all the time and then when I was 15 Oster out alone on a date we were really really in love first girlfriend and boyfriend every opportunity that we can spend together we did but a year into their relationship the teenagers lives were turned upside down I started to feel really queasy at school during the day I went to the doctor and I found out that I was pregnant it was panic or what we gonna do because we were still at school hoping for support Marion and James turned to their families my father was outraged he kept saying to me shame on you shame on you my family is so against it my name said if this is what you want you can go in the late 1960s illegitimate children made up 90% of all adoptions but Marion and James were determined to keep their baby in August 1970 their son was born and they named him Andy she's such a beautiful baby I would just sit there for her but it's just stare no even holding him he was just gorgeous even though I was only young the bond was so strong unable to return home to her grandparents Marion took Andy to stay with her mum who lived with her partner and four young children in a council house in Romford this is the first time Marian's been back to that house my bed was in that corner this cot was next to my bed James will come over and see him with his Saturday I thought we were gonna stay here and everything was going to be okay Marian cared for her son for three months before the council complained that the house was overcrowded the council said either I've got to go and take the baby with me or we'll all have to leave and I couldn't see my mom and my brothers and sisters thrown out of their home so I phoned my name and said can I come home when she said to me you can come home but you're not bringing it with it and so you didn't know what to do at a time when counsels offered little support to unmarried mothers Marian and James had nowhere else to turn that's not some sort of bad dream that you'd wake up in the morning and everything will go back to normal again but of course it wasn't normal I know I have to give him a while I remember sitting on the bed that morning what knowledgebase into bags John I hugged him as much as possible before they took him and then the knock on the door came I'm gonna let me picked up Carrie call and I just walked and the pulse put him in the car driver wife Braca her house it's God grieving the loss of their son the teenagers continued their relationship but two years later Marian discovered she was pregnant again this time we were determined that no one was going to take our child away as they were now 18 Marian and James couldn't marry without their parents consent and although they have two daughters andis never been far from their thoughts the two girls are so much like yo I always imagined him to be just like you now divorced and both remarried Marian and James still live with their guilt if he finds out that we did go on to have two children especially with Susy just been two years later I worry that he might feel resentful I just hope that he will understand that we were just so yeah it would have been wonderful if he could have been in these photographs with us to give you on baby away there aren't words to describe how it feels he's still with us on and we want to have him back in our family [Music] when Andy was adopted his name would have been changed so the first thing we needed was his new name but that information can only be accessed by a specialist intermediary legally allowed to access adoption records they discovered that Andy had been adopted by a couple from Essex and that his new name was Simon day but there was no trace of Simon in Essex so we cast the net wider searching electoral rolls across the UK for his address after two months we had a breakthrough Simon was found living near Torquay in Devon divorced with two daughters he works as a web designer I'm on my way to meet him to break the news but it's not just his birth mother who's searching we have never had this before a couple no longer together but United in the search for their child it's gonna be massive for Simon to discover that both his parents are looking for him and that there is a whole family that he hasn't been a part of will he be angry or will he accept his parents and sisters into his life Simon hello good to see you and you so we said so what was the initial feeling when you find out that Maria was looking for you I just couldn't believe it I also spent a long time trying to find her did you just let her know that I'm happy I was fine very good coltd and I hope she was happy and fine you really didn't have a sense of empathy yes sir your birth mother yes I know that I was adopted around 7 months old and when my daughter was 7 months old I tried to picture what that would have been like to have somebody just walk in pick her up and then take her out of the room at that point I realized how dramatic that must have been for Marion and I just knew I needed to find her to let her know everything was ok well it's not just your birth mother who's looking for you it is also your birth father James I wasn't expecting that that mean they're still together they did go on to get married mm-hmm they're no longer still together but they're very much together in their efforts to find you I hadn't even filter this hadn't even crossed my mind she fell pregnant when they were both 16 and their family situations were difficult there was no alternative but to put you up for adoption knowing that they got married Myron and James are really worried that's going to be really difficult news for you I'm really happy but they were there to support each other I just pray that they haven't been guilted in all these years I need to ask the big question if they have any other children I've got two sisters right okay that's amazing I need to take a break okay you're right yeah all right Wow let it sink in you okay yeah I just need you to stop that's your birth mother nice Marion oh my goodness hello Mary after all these years to finally see what she looks like now here's a man who looks like you that's James oh wow I can't believe how much I look like him it's amazing there's your sister Suzy huh and Stacy she looks a bit like it well I don't think there's any mistake in where I came from I can't wait to meet them all thank you so much Wow come here thank you before we tell Marion and James that Simon's been found our second search is on behalf of a woman desperate to find her birth mother after more than 50 years apart I don't know her but she's my mom she held and loved me and cared for me and Aryan that she would never see me again there will always be that bit of me that belongs to her and I need to know who that person is that's what II much fancy maybe do a stir-fry Cathy Cutler Evans lives in Chester where she runs a barber shop and races her three sons my boys they are my world totally my world the three of them would never leave the house without giving me a hook in a case - a single mom I've done my best I hope to be half of them and that's from thing that I got from my mom and dad Cathy grew up on the world where she had a happy childhood with parents Burton and come on granddad did have been an early 27 she knew from an early age that she was adopted school photo but when Cathy reached her teens she began to ask more questions I probably was about 14 or 15 and I said some so so what is all this adoption about you know where do I come from and monk said well Court stares into our bedroom a mom and dad had a big old wooden wardrobe and inside was this tin box I'm also this is the special box this is who you were before we got you inside the tin Kathy found a letter from her birth mother to Katherine's mommy and daddy please don't ever stop loving Katherine even when she's Northey and if ever she asks why I gave up away please try and help her understand it was because I loved her so much thank you once again and may you always be a happy family hatred [Music] when I first read it I couldn't comprehend that that had come from my birth mother she obviously really really really loved me it was life-changing because I'd never known about Adrienne and all of a sudden she was a real person I needed to know who she was ever since Cathy Cutler Evans discovered a letter from her birth mother Adrian Powell she's been desperate to find her this is where I began this is how my life started Kathie's adoptive mum told her all she knew about Adrienne mom said with the agent was 19 when she had me she was from Birkin hat and she was single she wanted me to be part of her family and she couldn't give me about Adrienne had given birth to Kathy in Birkenhead in 1964 and cared for her for the first 10 weeks of Kathy's life just think the bomb that she must have got with me in those two months you know after having my three sons they thought that they would have to give one of them away it's just imaginable when Kathy was 10 weeks old Adrienne took her to the adoption agency in Liverpool where Kathy's new parents were waiting that was her her point of no return then it must have been a day of two sides you know mum and dad absolutely elated and the flip side of that is Adrienne what can I even love it just must have been heartbreaking [Music] such a long time has passed but I've still thought about it every single day and the older I get the more I think about her if anyone deserves anything the world it's probably women she's worked so hard all her life she sat burrowing business she's looking after all of us for her mom to actually see who she is and what she's become she nearly be so proud but despite years of longing Kathy's no nearer to finding her mum where is she why should she do me did she go on and have a family and I was never spoken about that to me would just be my worst fear that I was a secret she gave me life I belong to aging the same as my boys belong to me I imagine meeting her and touching her and holding her room having that instant connection Kathy had very little to go on in a search just her birth mother's name age and that she came from Birkenhead I search for Adrian Powell drew a blank so our next step was to go on and see if she got married we found a marriage for an Adrian Powell to Douglas Stanford in Cheshire in 1966 it seemed very likely that this was Cathy's mum so we search for adrian stanford and discovered some heartbreaking news Adrian had died in 2012 tragically Kathy would not be able to meet her birth mother but records did show that Adrian had two other children a son Mark and a daughter and it's incredibly difficult when we find out someone's passed away we don't know what they've shared with their family or whether they've taken their secret to the grave so the only way to find out is to contact their surviving relatives and we have to approach that with huge care our intermediary contacted Adrienne's children with the news that Kathy was searching and got an immediate response mark didn't want to appear on camera but dad asked to meet me Hadrian was very young when she gave Kathy up for adoption big question is that she ever tell Ann about her sister or is this come as a total shock married with four children and lives in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire [Music] hello hello definitely yeah I'm Nikki it's me UT thank you we have so much to talk about did you know that you had a sister yes always always hmm mom always talked about Kathy my brother and I grew up talking about and knowing about her she was never a secret mom tried to find her so many times she actually went through the process of trying to trace Katherine yeah I'm just coming up against a brick wall every time so yeah this is a big deal to be found what did you know about how many would grow though mom didn't want to give up for adoption it was 1964 it was a different world yeah it was really hard for her to fall pregnant at 19 unmarried and her family weren't supportive so she just realized if she was gonna give her a decent life she had to give her up for adoption it just devastated her and I don't think she had nearly ever got over it have you got any photos yeah she looks lovely what was she like she was the best mom she was amazing this larger-than-life woman but every time she talked about Katherine you could see the pain yeah she used to write in her diary Catherine's birthday every year she kind of see gosh Katherine Teresa's 18 today yeah that's regrettable every year for me it's been like a lifelong dream to meet her yeah my hole just breaks though because all I've ever wanted it's just a little bit too late I'm so excited to meet her I'm like I want to know what about her IV no good she want to know everything is she married she's got kids lost three boys okay oh my god oh my god right so you got three boys 17 20 and 22 are you shaking all right she wasn't like I don't know that's my sister I just need to meet her now divorced couple Marion Williams and James McDonald are searching for their son who they were forced to give up for adoption 46 years ago Marion and James have been living with the guilt that their oldest child and couldn't be part of their family they've always feared that he might not be able to forgive them but today all of that's going to change because their son's been found I'm on my way to see Marion and James to tell them that Simon can't wait to meet them all I'm seeing them at their daughter's house [Music] lion Davina nice to meet you doing good thank you thanks very much it's so lovely either you're divorced but yet you're here together you've stayed such good friends haven't you yes having Andy and the emotion of time we went through I think that really did bond us together must have been so tough we were only children yeah well we had no choice did we oh no we had no choice but it still doesn't get away from the fact that we dug I mean y-yeah we've always worried about what he would think because we did go on to have two children that's all for what she did to him yeah to let him know that he was enough baby and and the reasons why we have to do that well you can tell him because we found out how you found him yeah he's really good really good Simon he had a quiet adoption oh goodness when he found out from Nicky that both of you were looking it was such a shock and it was something that he needed to you know process for a bit yeah but he is really thrilled and really excited that he's got two sisters oh that's fantastic news oh my god sorry baby Cornell Simon he look so like you I think yeah all these years wondering want and feeling shame for what we did it's just a wonderful feeling I still can't believe we're sitting here looking at my son I cannot wait is here today Marion and James have traveled to Turkey to be reunited with the son who's been missing from their family since he was a baby fighted for this for the last 46 years he was a baby last time I saw him and now he's a grown man I just want to tell him that I'd never stopped loving him I've trimmed this day for years today I will get a chance to show Simon my love for him if he acknowledges and accepts that I think then I will feel the forgiveness that I I need you've a date yes [Music] I just can't wait to meet me when I realized that it was all for that was searching for me that's really special is something that really means a lot to me so I'm feeling really nervous really anxious excited everything [Music] they're meeting in a cafe close to where Simon lives [Music] [Music] you hello long time coming let's sit there got so much to talk about you have no idea how nervous I beans believe it's happening always been a part of us missing oh yes yeah I'm really glad to hear that all through the years our biggest burden was to try and explain to you you know the reasons why we had to give you up for adoption it's just too young we couldn't take him it was just so cool we thought would you resent the fact of what happened no is that mean it makes me mentally happy that you start by each other it really does and when I heard was also two sisters looking that was amazing because that family bond is really really important to me that hub means everything to me I've waited 46 years for that just to have him back and to hold him I'm not letting him go anytime soon not letting him go so proud of you there was an instant connection from the moment I laid eyes on them it was there just no question you see pictures of you when you were younger yeah shouts I'm in that pitch revue at school that's me when I was 11 oh my god oh that is totally like you dad son I am to finally have Simon thing and I can finally start living my life now without that feeling the gill yeah right nning we thought we were like dad nothing compared to him she's not the oldest anymore so she come here I feel truly a proper dad now I'm just looking forward to the years to come just having all of them in the same room with me that was magical I already feel part of the family I feel at peace I've got my son back finally today our family is complete you [Music] Kathy Cutler Evans came to us searching for her birth mother Adrian Powell tragically we discovered that Adrienne passed away five years ago we've told Kathy away from the cameras the sad news about her mum it's heartbreaking for anyone to discover that the person that they're searching for has passed away and Kathy found this incredibly difficult but I am bringing her some good news that she has a sister who is longing to meet her [Music] hey Cathy thanks Singh I am so so sorry that we couldn't bring you better news about your mum have you been and very emotional all I wants to do was to meet her and to give her a hug now you're gonna get to see you that's really hard really really hard I just wanted to come and tell you a bit more about her she spent most of her life on the world mm-hmm so she stayed local yeah but then she didn't move down to Leighton Buzzard I write no bone in later life so did she Murray she did Murray God and they did go on and have two children a [Applause] half-sister and a half and unmarked so do they know about me they've always known about Harvard you are never a secret ever since and we could remember you just always have big system Oh a dream ever tried to find me or would you like say if I say yes what if we smile your mum thought about you all the time and and wants to show you Diaries your mum had and every year your birthday's ma she's gorgeous I used to be that colorful I'm so great she slipped me a letter dear Cathy I really wish it could be mum writing this letter to you giving you what was one of the hardest things mum ever did the rest of her life she desperately wanted to be what United with you she would you so very much never stopped hoping one day face to face I will promise I will do everything I can to help you get to know how special she was I know I won't get to see agian but I can't wait to me I always wanted a sister an alkyl today one week after discovering that she has a half-sister Kathy's going to meet Ann for the first time [Music] hi I do know this excited I'm ready I'm ready for this okay let's go do it Ann has traveled to Liverpool to meet her sister I could see thank you look forward to it yeah it's gonna be brilliant okay [Music] have you thought about what your feelings are about Kathy it's really weird cuz I feel like I know her and I don't at all but I've known about her all my life so there's part of me that just feels like she's my sister I want to find out about her as well as much as I want to talk to about Marmite I want to find out about her life and now she's been can you believe it's real no it feels like I've literally waited all my life and now it's happening and it's it doesn't feel real so yeah I'm excited just hope she likes me what does the day mean to you all my life I thought that I would meet Adrian and it's it's a really sad day because now I know that I never will but on the flip side of that I get to meet a sister that I never knew existed do you feel a bond with her as soon as I saw her picture I just thought that is my sister there was just something inside me that felt like we belong together I just can't wait to see him [Music] the sisters are meeting in a hotel in Liverpool not far from where their mother handed Kathy over for adoption more than 50 years ago that's why you're gonna be meeting your sister and okay it's been a pleasure thank you [Music] so I'm gonna say cough I hear so your sisters in there [Music] [Music] [Laughter] [Music] [Laughter] she just never ever stopped thinking about you have you been happy I know that's a ratio she'd ask everything a happy really happy have a happy childhood I had the best moment I'd happen that's all she wanted to it as soon as I found out that you don't I heard about me I was so worried about today you couldn't possibly I was worried because I just I'm not mum and I wanted it to be more just in love there's so much you've honestly had no idea that's hard for both as soon as the Soraa I felt the connection I said kick squeeze it on a hook in air I don't want to let go I'm sorry I'm so happy she's so lovely she's so lovely I made you a book oh you happen mum from start-to-finish show you so tell me about how was she she was raucous and Wow she sang at the top of her voice a lot this is absolutely beautiful and thank you so much adrian is a real person now with a face with a smile with a personality just means so much when it's a college from the web and we've did you go well it scarlet pass what did you do it kind of person I did Beauty Therapy well I just have to us a number be too thorough know where he is yeah I just know that from today we are gonna be a massive part of each other's lives I think we're gonna be the best friends I really do I totally see us being on the phone to each other every single day like everyday facetiming visiting she's my sister just love her totally yeah of it fits she's my big sister that's how we love her yeah it's gonna be great next time on long-lost family a man searching for the child given up for adoption against his wishes I want to tell him that I didn't leave you you were given a reason if I did Maori we'd never have happened and a woman hoping to find her mother after a childhood spent in care [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: Cinelic

Views: 591,573

Keywords: abandoned, ancestry, birth parents, children given up, davina mccall, family reunion, family search, full episode, heritage, genetic, long lost family, long lost family uk, long lsot family, lost family, dna, reality show, reunion, separated at birth, biological, 23 and me, finding family, long lost family s07e01, birth mother, long lost family complete episode, long lost family full episode, sisters reunited, adoption, siblings reunited, foster care, birth family, adopted kids

Id: 1PZ7A5SFjT4

Length: 46min 8sec (2768 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 28 2019