Long Lost Family (UK) S07E02

for thousands of people across Britain someone is missing from their lives does he still love me he's my dad why did he not come back giving him that was the worst thing we ever done the kilts at times assembly oh 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 your songs been found oh really [Music] offering a last chance to people desperate for help no darling cook fish Allah does from DNA technology to painstaking detective work we've travelled the world uncovering family secrets and tracing people but no one else could find John hi Rick I've got the test results here the DNA test oh my god and finally answering questions that have haunted entire lives this week two searchers whose lives were torn apart by circumstances beyond their control our first ever search on behalf of a birth father desperate to find an adopted child I felt so helpless he's my son he was just take it away and a woman raised in children's homes longing to find her mother [Music] our first search comes from the West Midlands and a father desperate to find the son he's only seen once going to the nursery and there's this little roughed up bundle with a ginger head sticking out the top and I just cried he's my son and that was the last time I saw 74 year old Andy McNichol lives in Walsall with hazel his wife for 45 years [Music] now retired Andy and Hazel devoted much of their life to fostering children before sit for about 15 years and we've ugly lots of children and they've got us a low pleasure mostly boys I take my football I used to love it stand on the side ladies show it he's got a connection with children he's so caring and kind and loving and go but there's one person missing from the family album John the son who Andy had before he met hazel John there's so much of it electric Dunham I've missed so much it's someone every door we leave [Music] and II met John's mother Brenda in the 1960s when they were both working in Froome in Somerset I was about 26 and I think she was about 22 he was loved all right she was a pretty pretty girl and she had a real good soul two years into their relationship Brenda discovered she was pregnant I kept see no hotel your dad tell your mom and dad tell your mom and she said no I'll do that but she didn't I should have I was wrong I think if I'd gone to them and spoke to him things might have what take different Brenda couldn't hide the pregnancy for long and in a small town like Froome having an illegitimate child could still carry a stigma when her parents found out they'd hoped Andie would marry Brenda but Andy wasn't free to marry I couldn't get married we're still married I was divorce going through there was no way I could get married before the baby's born there was no fashion family and it didn't make that said the choice if she's continued to see me the family with disorder and she was a strong family go Brenda broke off all contact with Andie the next he heard was that she had given birth to their son I went straight in Louisville nice to see you baby just took me up to see the nursery and I was looking for this glass and they pointed him out to me and he was just a little ginger edge sticking above the blankets right ginger he liked his mother but they wouldn't let me go in and touch up and hold a book pick him up or nothing like that and he never saw his son again against his wishes John was put up for adoption I felt so helpless you know I thought I'm not even if this Charles mine you know it's good couldn't grasp it he could do this to me [Music] saddest day of my life I don't yeah [Music] and II was devastated to learn that he wasn't even on John's birth certificate [Music] mother's name no father's name I actually went up to their register when I helped do this I said no I'm the father you should been registered so that's it that's boy was my son I was helpless I couldn't do it yeah and his wife Hazel witnessed his grief when they first met the baby was born in June and I met him in November and he was still very very wrong it's cried in my arms over this baby I think he felt that he'd lost part of himself it was hard you grieve it's just like a bereavement you grieve 46 years since he last saw his son and he has never given up hope of finding him I think about multi-team all I think I want to tell him that I didn't leave you you were given a wish if I'd admire you we'd never have happened I don't want him to know that he was loved we've definitely but he still is [Music] because of the need to protect the identity of adopted children the only way we could find John was by working with a specialist intermediary legally allowed to access records they discovered that he was still called John and had grown up in weston-super-mare we found records of John living in the UK up until 2013 but after that there was no trace of him could John have moved abroad to find out we needed a new line of attack so we decided to search for John's adoptive parents John's adoptive mother had passed away but we did manage to track down his adoptive dad and he was able to tell us where to find John in Australia John had married an Australian and moved out here three years ago I'm meeting him at his home in Cape roti in New South Wales where he works as a chef [Music] during our search we learned that John's birth mother passed away nearly 40 years ago and we told him that away from the cameras thanks ever since he saw that redheaded baby in the hospital Andy has longed to know his son but what about John after more than 40 years did the other thing his father would come looking for him John okay are you doing please making my place this is yeah quite something women fantastic in a place like this you're kind of difficult to find did you think you ever would be found no I was compromised to be honest yeah my father's looking for me and it says be astonished because like that I honestly thought if I got woman's gonna be looking for you be my mother and what was your childhood like I was lucky that I had a daughter Paris it you know they were great but he's still feel that you've done something wrong you felt a sense of rejection yeah it was always a month that made biological premise we didn't want me they just gave me away I've always wondered what happened I've got lots to tell you your birth mother and your birth father loved each other and she felt pregnant mm-hm and he wanted to bring you up with your mother in her family but he was in the middle of a divorce and that was unacceptable he wanted to be a father but couldn't be wasn't allowed to be mm-hmm just knowing that that he wanted to to be a father it makes a big difference hmm he saw you once just after you were born he went to the hospital he just saw this beautiful baby with red hair hmm knowing that he felt like that about you it's like a good thing it is so surprised it is it's a very very much surprised because he's now if it boots like the bit my brains and I wasn't wanted it's nice to be wanted yeah what are you written your letter chefs not here Dear John when I last saw you you were one day old behind glass in a hospital I would really like to see you as there are so many things I would like to tell you about myself and to know that you're alive and have a good life I had to see you Andy PS there has always been a void in my heart not knowing what has become of you hmm he loves you and when the only thing I'm missing there is no way looks like you know how it looks right [Music] well old versioning really yeah right I can't believe that he's been looking for so long do you feel different now you know I do a lot of her if monist is not excitement he had the capacity to love me most a nurse who ever saw me once you know it was makes a big difference yeah you know always meeting [Music] before we tell Andy the news that his sons been found our second search is on behalf of a woman longing to find her birth mother after a childhood spent in care [Music] [Music] fifty-five year old Mary Davis lives in Hounslow married to her childhood sweetheart Tim they have two children who are now grown up [Music] [Music] although she loves being a mum Mary didn't grow up with her own mother Mary was born on the 3rd of November 1961 to an Irish mother Bernadette Sweeney she spent the first six weeks of her life with Bernadette in a home for unmarried mothers in North London run by nuns the home no longer exists but their records are held and nearby Sint Joseph's church including Mary's baptism when she was six weeks old Mary was placed with an adoptive family but her adoption soon ran into trouble Mary's hearing started to deteriorate her new parents decided they couldn't cope with the deaf child and after only three months they sent her back Mary Davis grew up in care after the family who planned to adopt her decided they couldn't cope with a deaf child for the first six years of her life she lived in a series of children's homes no one would adopt her but when Mary was seven her life changed she was fostered by a couple who had a deaf daughter she lived with them until she was 17 Mary went on to marry Tim but as their own family has grown so has her need to find her mother Mary began searching for her mother 15 years ago and last year she finally had a breakthrough she discovered that Bernadette had another daughter called Shirley five years after Mary was born Mary hasn't been able to find any further trace of Bernadette and Shirley [Music] and she's wondered if her mother has told her sister about her [Music] the last record we had of Mary's mother Bernadette she was living in London in the 1960s with her daughter Shirley so that's where we started our search we scoured UK records for Bernadette and Shirley but we could find no trace of them living here so we decided to search in the country where Bernadette was born Ireland we knew that she came from Sligo so that's where we focused our attention but our searches for them there also drew a blank our next step was to look for siblings who might know of their whereabouts after six months we had a breakthrough we discovered that Bernadette had a brother Kieran he had passed away but we were able to trace his widow we contacted her hoping that she could lead us to Bernadette but instead she broke the tragic news that Bernadette had passed away in 2007 [Music] Mary will be heartbroken with the news that she'll never be able to meet her mother so we were desperate to find her half-sister Shirley using new information from Kieran's widow we were able to trace Shirley on social media she now lives in Ireland that agreed to meet me in Kilburn North London close to where she and her mother Bernadette known in the family is Bernie once lived Shirley also told us that she was not the only sibling Bernie had had four other children this could be really tough for Shirley the Chi know she had a sister and how will she feel when she learns that Mary had a difficult childhood [Music] surely hey have a seat thank you what's so good to meet you it's good to meet you did you know that you had a sister no idea nobody in my family none of my siblings we were never told what was your first reaction when you heard well I was very shocked it's good you know I'm happy I'm excited as are my siblings you know yeah when I look back this makes sense to me because I got pregnant myself as 16 17 and I was adamant that I was giving my child up for adoption because I was too young my mother said no there was no way that Barney was letting me put my child up for adoption now I know why she didn't want me to go through the same pains she carried with her for that is that's extraordinary extraordinary and I'm so glad that because I have a wonderful daughter let me tell you a bit about Mary Mary spent the first six weeks of her life with Bernadette in a mother and baby home in North London's run by nuns she was given up for adoption shortly after in her hearing began to deteriorate okay and the adoptive family changed their mind because they didn't want to have a baby with hearing problems Parker Mary's death no fan communicates using sign language but it was difficult for her to find a long-term stable home until she was actually seven years old Wow that's heartbreaking you know absolutely you know I don't know what I don't know what to say I'm not to have to learn some sign language are you going to you yeah yeah was she's my sister 100% to communicate with our Mary I would certainly be going in the language so Mary she's happy now she's happy she's a great relationship she her partner is Tim Tim yeah and she's got two children oh that's great yeah I'm so happy that she's happy now does Mary look like me Oh oh wow it's beautiful she's lovely she's got Brittany's eyes this is my mother why should I marry and when you put these photos together this is just wow it's Bernie he's died my sister god I just love you bro hug I can't wait to meet her she belongs it off I I don't know her and I love her it's amazing and I learned that in signed Tanner [Music] you [Music] and II McNichol came to us searching for his son John who he saw just once before he was given up for adoption we found John living in Australia and I'm on my way to tell Andy the good news Andy's search was a fast for us because we've never had a birth father on his own looking for an adopted child he's desperate to let his son know that he was wanted and loved I know he's going to get the chance to do that [Music] and II just read you your rights lovely thank you very much better for seeing you Oh pretty much come in oh thanks very much have a seat thank you so your story it's such a tough one and I just wanted to talk to you a bit about what it felt like it's just that feeling of hopelessness he was like a bereavement that a child have been I'd seen him for five minutes and a little saw again what's that like when you saw OH hard to say I was just fathered a son and I wouldn't we know that and Lily was loved well you can tell him yourself I hope so no you can because he's been found did you want to see me take your time it's okay what's it well he's well and he's a chef and he's an Australian oh he's been there for three years he always knew that he was adopted but he never looked because he was frightened of being rejected I could prove that right well I think that'll mean a lot to him I feel that right yeah I got off to someone who's just another D know it's a new did relief it's just a news hopefully a new style you wanna see if I tell oh yeah oh he's got my build all right yeah he's got my build he's got my nose I think in Australia there's never a day goes by that I never think of always he was it was loved but you know what's lovely is you can tell him all of that I will do I could tell you come on over here is he thank you so much that's so much bless you [Music] [Music] she's living in Australia there is no they nervous today one week after discovering John has been found Andy is going to see his son [Music] john has traveled 10,000 miles from Australia to Somerset to meet his father for the first time [Music] welcome home thank you nice to see you really good to see you right jacket let's go finding out that you were wanted yep and you were loved that's a whole I mean how does that new reality this it makes a difference does it yeah oh yeah yeah knowing that he'd always been thinking about me have you got the butterflies yeah I mean I'd be lying you know if I said I died no no worries or dates you know what if I meet me doesn't like me [Music] hey Andy you know hey doing very well so you could disagree so you ready yep okay [Music] Andy and John are meeting in a pub outside bath the city where John was born okay thank you very much good luck Thanks [Music] so how you feeling I'm petrified today's it's the biggest day of your life cuz all them years ago that's all I want to do is just pick them up give them a hug and see you know this is my son and very I can do it so this is actually where I say goodbye over there thank you very much thank you [Music] it's over the moon I tell ya yeah me too yeah I need you out there somewhere you don't mean you were part of me I love you to death and good I loved you when I didn't know you I loved you when you were born it's nice to know you know there's a reason with you and that makes a big difference you had loved him wanted nice to be wanted yeah but up until what a few weeks ago I didn't know you did yeah the night I needing oh yeah good else yes you know the fact that he understands they was wanted and loved I makes all the difference he's all the difference to me I've always wanted to be always tell you what went on what actually happened do you know maybe I have failed if in a lot of years because it wasn't it wasn't your decision it was my decision no guilt to be helped nothing to forgive it he had no choice in the matter how can I be angry or aim for that just a fact did you would look in I need took the time to look prove that you cared yeah what you know and that and to meet up that I'm in a lot it's just nobody sunk in yet that my father's here and he wants to save me just for him to walk in and call me his son yeah I'm not gonna feel second-best anymore it's best Emma life when I die he's my son and he's here today with me I love him Mary Davis has been searching for her birth mother Bernadette for 15 years but sadly we discovered that she's passed away we've told Mary this news away from the cameras it's tragic that Mary will never get to meet her birth mother I hope discovering that we found her sister might help ease her grief a little [Music] my name is d-a-d I am okay thank you thanks hi hello a sign language interpreter is helping to translate thank you so much for talking to me I'm so so sorry that we couldn't bring you better news about your mum I'm sorry I've got something for you [Music] you really really look like I think your mum Bernadette went on to have five children after you we got all this information from your sister Shirley she really wants to meet you she didn't know about you and so she was very surprised that's so excited after Nikki had spoken to her she bought a book on sign language so she can start learning [Music] yeah she's moody wants to tell you all about your mum [Music] today Mary's finally going to meet her sister Shirley [Music] [Music] Shirley has traveled from island to North London to meet Mary myself or my siblings we bought her a bracelet with Cicerone and I've been practicing sign language and I've like two sentences to me we keep us alive [Music] the sisters are meeting at a pub close to the site of the mother and baby home where Mary was last with their mother Bernie [Music] [Music] the interpreter is also there to help [Music] I have kicking in or not I'm so nervous [Music] [Music] beautiful and catchy find us I'm sorry it took so long that you couldn't meet you have your siblings you are all dying to meet you out of all the siblings I tell you the one that looks the most like her absolutely yeah absolutely thought she mistake not seeing you you beautiful bracelet for you let's fit sister joy sister [Music] all my siblings want you to come to Ireland I'm a big family reunion you are part of us welcome to the family [Music] [Music] but yeah I'm so happy it was just a great connection with her it was like an you were all my life you were giving with me you've got the best jeans you look way younger than me Mary's part of the family she's she's our sister [Music] hopefully oh great [Music] next time on long-lost family a man separated from his mother by tragedy I can only see her world falling apart how could mother ever forget her and a woman desperate for her son to understand the choices she had to make if I could just see him put what and tell him that I'm sure is it not being there for him when he needed me [Music] [Music]

Channel: Cinelic

Views: 462,009

Keywords: long lost family, long lost family 2019, long lost family 2017, long lost family uk, long lost family uk season 9, long lost family uk season 7, long lost family usa, long lost family season 7, long lost family season 7 episode 2, long lost family s07e02, long lost family uk 2019, lost family, llf season 7, cinelic, davina mccall, nicky campbell, itv, adoption, birth parents, biological family, ancestryDNA, my heritage dna, 23andme, long lsot family, genealogy, reunited families

Id: 1uOccamIZ7A

Length: 45min 31sec (2731 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 29 2019