Righting a Wrong
Sometimes in life, people will "do you wrong." Life is that way. There are simply bad people in the world who do wrong to good people. But every once in awhile, we "good people" meet up with each other and can fix things for one another. This episode of "The Locator" was one of those moments for me.I won't give you the details about the search because I want you to experience it as it happened--we captured the entire journey on video as it unfolded! There are certainly some surprises along the way! But suffice to say things are not always as they seem.
By the way, this episode of the show took me to Puyallup, Wash. and Tucson, Ariz. If you have never had a chance to visit Puyallup, Wash., put it on your list of beautiful towns to visit in the northwest! Incredible views, weather was perfect... they should call the place Tranquility Acres! On the opposite end of the scale was my trip to Tucson! It, too, is a beautiful place (for totally different reasons) BUT they have the entire city torn up under construction. Getting from place to place was almost impossible! I travel with a GPS unit to get me from place to place (I still get lost a lot) but with all of the construction, the talking GPS was starting to use profanity with me! (Or so it seemed.) Whoever manages road construction in Tucson, Ariz. should be fired... or forced to direct traffic around the detours!!
I have been e-mailed a lot of questions about my children, so let me answer a few of those quickly:
QUESTION: "Do you really have 7 children, are they all yours and are any adopted or twins?"
MY ANSWER: Yes, yes and no. All mine and my wife (high school sweetheart) Jennifer's, no adoptions (although adoption is an extraordinary option and blessing which I whole-heartedly endorse) and no, we don't have any twins. We had one child at a time... the old fashioned way. Our oldest is 18 and our youngest is 3. Five boys, two girls.
QUESTION: "You said you sent one off to college. Where did he go?"
MY ANSWER: Trey is now attending BYU and loving it. It's a great university and the climate is beautiful. We live in Florida, but go up there as a family every year to go skiing. (However, I am a bit upset with the BYU football coaching staff because of a "situation" which happened last week when my son went to football tryouts, but I'll get over it. GRR)
QUESTION: Do your children help you 'locate'?"
MY ANSWER: Not officially. But I do occasionally brainstorm out loud with them and listen to their theories. I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere down the road, one of them does want to get more actively involved in reuniting people--it would be fun! I just remembered that there is an episode you will see this season where Trey helps me track someone down using a couple of social networking Web sites!
Speaking of the children, I have a son's football game to get to so I need to wrap this blog entry up. You should see Jennifer at these games--she is so into it! She screams and yells, questions every penalty, and hollers "advice" out to the coaches. She makes me laugh! (She is my best buddy and always makes me smile.)
Blog ya later,
Troy
"The Locator"
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Greetings ~
I was drawn to this show from the first moment I glimpsed it when passing through a channel or two... As an adopted child (for in many ways I still feel I am that wee one of long ago), reunion stories centering around adoption always hum to my heart... Yet I was drawn to Troy's personality - and to that of his mother - the reverence and compassion evident from the first moments of viewing the show... and the kindness that is evident in Troy's actions, interactions - the fading away at the end of the reunion; not needing to be in the spotlight - knowing that the reunion is so much more than a spotlight moment for those whose lives are brought so generously together.
I have known where my birth mother is for a long while now - and know her name - - - she refused contact with me and chose not to provide information regarding my birth father --- respecting her choices - then and now - I have never followed further, yet there are days, like today, when I long to call the telephone number that is tucked away in my address book and say "please, do not leave this earth without telling me a bit of my past, that I might bring it into my present." there are moments when I long to contact the half brother and sister whom I know are mine, yet who will never now of my existence.
My birthmother gave me a blessed life in choosing to offer me the gift of my adopting family - I bless her for this act that was such a difficult choosing.
I wonder if any feel this way and would covet the kindness of your reply,
Ellen
I just want to say to you Troy "that I think what you do is the most wonderful gift you could ever give a person" I've watched every episode of your show and without a doubt I cry, but I love it! Keep Locating.
ok so i really don't know where to start but my mom was artificially inseminated when she had me.....I have asked her questions about it and she won't tell me a thing I know that in most cases the donor remains anonymous but I was wondering how I would even start a search like that I mean I'm in my twentys and have a son I just want his medical history I am not asking to invade his life I just want the clinic to tell me his history........I know the clinic is in boulder co.....what do I do from their?????
hi to all those who made a mistake and lived with it every day and will until your dying day. In 1966 I gave up a child for adoption. It was the way it was and the father had gone to Vietnam. It was a state adoption so I got to see the names of the family that adopted him. those names were branded in mind forever. About 15 years I made the attempt to contact him and tell him the real truth but imagine my new grief when he wrote and said he would contact me in his own time. It was the time war was on laws were different. At the time I already had 2 young children, no education and no one was willing to help me. I did what I thought was the best thing. I know there are others out there who are in the same situation. Please let me hear from you and how you deal thanks for listening Sharon Miller RN
Troy,
First, I have to tell you that I have watched your show from the very first episode. I love it and yes, I cry. What an honor it must be for you to help people the way you do.
Second, can someone PLEASE give us an update on the twin boys and how things are going? Lord my heart about broke for that mother. I could not imagine my children being given to someone else and not having any clue about what happened to them. It was amazing to share in the journey. One day I will stand in the same shoes that the adoptive mother in this story did. I have no fear about my son meeting his biological mother, father, sister, or extended family. We know where they are. I know with all that is in me that God made my son and meant him for my husband and I. What a blessing he has been and will always be in our lives. That includes the good with the bad, the easy and the ruff :o)
God bless you and your staff for what you do. How many lives will you change and touch? Only God knows and I will pray that He blesses you and your staff as you do your work.
God bless,
Me
Troy, I contacted you over twenty years ago when I was struggling with a job direction. I was intrigued with your Locator concept. We ended up doing nothing together, to my dismay. I also have seven children, just opposite of you, five girls and two boys. I live in Centerville, Utah and just did see your first Troy the Locator show on We Tv. I cried with the emotion created. I also felt badly that I wasn't doing what you are doing. I have both the ability and creativity to be very successful. I have done the geneology and found people for others. I collected and found skips for a bank when I first graduated from College. I was the best at it that they had ever seen. I hated the negative element of collection but discovered that I was good at it. To do the same thing in a positive way would be very rewarding. Yes, I find myself very envious. By the way, my best friend's boy tried to walk on to play football at BYU and they told him to go play intermural football. He then walked on at Utah State and without a scholarship lead the nation in receiving. Long story short, he is a starting WR for the Eagles with a 5 year contract for 30 million. Tell your son that it can be done. I wanted to go to BYU and throw the javelin but ended up at Weber State. Later I was the NCAA javelin champion and record holder. I received All American status and qualified for the 1968 Olympic trials. BYU is a great school but sometimes they miss out with people with heart and determination that can't be measured upfront. Troy, I would like to talk with you if you have a minute. Please email me or call at the registered phone number here. Thank you, javelin239@msn.com
DW
Troy & the Locator team I contacted the San Diego Children's Home Society when I turned of age. I am 34 years old. I was first advised of my adoption from my step parent as my adoptive parents divorced when I was very young at age 11. The first thing I came to find out is that I was the youngest of 7 children, my biological mother was married and so was my biological father. I also found out I had a blood brother from the same mother and father that was 3 1/2 yrs older than me. My mother was made to give me up after not taking her priests advice to keep my geneology a secret and because her husband came to find out that I was not his daughter after my mother came forth and told him the truth about the affair and my birth, as her husband was an important government official. My older sibling which was a boy was given up to my paternal grandparents on my mother's side as a result of the same affair as well. My mother's parents lived in San Diego and therefore she thought putting me up for adoption in San Diego would be the best thing for me. After putting me into foster care, I was adopted when I was about 10months old. In the documentation from the adoption agency I found that my birth mother came looking for me and contacted the adoption agency by my mother's lawyer to be told that I had moved away from Californina and had been adopted. I very much want to find my mother, brother and meet my half brother's and sisters. Both my adoptive parents have passed away and I have two teenage kids that have never meet their paternal family. I implore you to consider the search for my family members as the kids and the family I never have known are all I have left. Please consider my family search! Thank you Troy and Team!! -By the way I love your show and cry at each reunion. It makes me long for my own. Thank you for wanting to make the world a brighter place as God intends it to be...To just love one another!!!
HI ,MY NAME IS JILL ARRINGTON I AM 31 YEARS OLD.I WAS GIVEN AWAY AT BIRTH AND ALL MY LIFE I HAVE NO IDEA WHO MY MOM ARE DAD IS AND I ALWAYS FELT LIKE A AN ALIEN BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW WHERE I COME FROM.I HAVE THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN WHO NEVER WILL GET TO KNOW WHO THERE GRANDPARENTS ARE I JUST FEEL LIKE 31 YEARS IS LONG TIIME TO GO NOT KNOWING WHO YOUR PARENTS ARE I HOPE U CAN PLEASE HELP ME.MY EMAIL ADRESS IS LARRYANDSTELLA@YAHOO.COM I'LL BE PRAYING TO HEAR FROM YOU.
Troy, what a wonderful show and wonderful source of HOPE! I will be entering the contest as soon as I can finangle a way to get a picture of my elderly mom onto computer so it can be submitted with an entry. My mom is 80 years old and had a very rough life. She was abused physically, emotionally and sexually as a child since as long as she can remember. As a teen, she was forced to give up a newborn daughter and even though we have the name of the adoptive couple, the name of an adopted older sister, the place she was born, date of birth and name she was given at birth (we figure it must have been changed), we have hit nothing but dead ends. My mother and the whole family has always been poor as church mice and as you can imagine, that has created a huge roadblock for us in searching. My mother has arthritis, glaucoma, emphysema and high blood pressure so there are no guarantees how much longer we will have her. She wants so much to find her daughter, to let her know she was WANTED and is LOVED. My mother says she has never gone a day without thinking of her. If she can be found and will agree to meet her mother (and us half-sibs! :o) ) it would give her untold happiness. Thank you, Troy, for reading this. Hopefully, you will have compassion for my mom and help her become whole. Or if her daughter has passed away, at least to have closure. My dad and the rest of the family is very much on board with this search.
Respectfully Submitted.
Renee
Hello Troy, I was 4 years old when my mother married my dad. In 1971 my mother married and I learned at the age of 10 who I thought was my father, wasn't!!! I am 40 years old and desperately seeking daddy. I am so glad I was changing chanels and caught your show. For 22 years I have been looking for my birth father. My mother Evelyne Keeton, attended college in 1966 in Los Angeles, Calif. There she met my father, James E. Powell. He was stationed in the Marine Corp in San Diego, Calif. during the same year. They dated for awhile and my mother became pregnant with me. At that time my father had gone AWOL, but after he learned my mother was pregnant with me, he wanted to do the right thing. He turned himself in to the Marine Corp to serve his time for going AWOL. By doing this he and my mother lost contact. She was in Los Angeles and he was in the stockade in San Diego. After I was born 10/07/67...my mother tried to locate him, but wasn't successful. Since the age of 17, I have been searching for my father. My life doesn't feel complete. I constantly ask my mother about my father. She has limited information. His DOB is April/1947, his birth state is Mississippi, he was stationed in the Marine Corp in 1965-I'm not sure of the ending date. During that time my mother received assistance from the State of California. He is also on my birth certificate. I have tried so many ways to locate him... I ask my mother constantly if he knew about me. Her reply is always yes. I have written letters to all the talk shows, I have spent money making telephone calls to people with his name, but no success. PLEASE....help me locate my father. I can't express enough how I feeling I am not complete. Please Please help me locate my daddy.
Sincerely, Desperately Seeking Daddy.