[ APPLAUSE ]
>>> SO, KATHY SMITH WAS JUST 18
YEARS OLD WHEN SHE PUT HER
NEWBORN DAUGHTER UP FOR
ADOPTION.
AND SHE HAS SPENT THE LAST FEW
DECADES SEARCHING FOR HER, WITH
NO LUCK.
THAT IS, UNTIL HER DAUGHTER, WHO
HAD NO IDEA WHO HER BIRTH MOTHER
WAS USED ONE OF THOSE AT-HOME
DNA TESTING KITS.
IN MOMENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO
MEET EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST
TIME, RIGHT HERE.
FIRST, THEIR STORY.
WATCH.
>> I WAS 18 WHEN I HAD HER.
I LOVED HER FROM THE VERY START.
I WOULD ALWAYS HAVE LOVED HER.
BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
GIVE HER ANYTHING ELSE BUT LOVE.
AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO A BABY.
A BABY NEEDS MORE THAN LOVE.
>> I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT I WAS
ADOPTED.
THE ONLY INFORMATION THAT I HAD
WAS THAT MY MOM IS A TWIN.
>> I THOUGHT ABOUT HER A LOT.
HER BIRTHDAY, CHRISTMAS,
MOTHER'S DAY, WONDERING WHERE
SHE WAS AND HOW SHE WAS DOING
AND IF SHE LOOKED LIKE ME.
I ALWAYS HAD THIS IF.
BUT I ALWAYS KNEW I DID THE
RIGHT THING.
>> I HAD A GREAT CHILDHOOD,
GREAT FAMILY.
I HAD THE BEST FRIENDS.
WE TRAVELED EVERY YEAR.
WE CAMPED EVERY YEAR.
SO, HAD A GOOD LIFE.
>> I SEARCHED FOR HER FOR 26
YEARS.
>> I JUST KIND OF WENT, I WAS
ADOPTED AND I PROBABLY WASN'T
WANTED AT THAT TIME.
AND I THINK I JUST WENT WITH
THAT.
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS AND WHY WOULD
SHE BE LOOKING FOR ME.
>> THE ADOPTION RECORDS WERE
SEALED.
SO, EVERYTHING ALWAYS CAME TO A
DEAD END.
>> I WAS RAISED COMPLETELY
ITALIAN AND POLISH.
I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW, WAS I
ITALIAN AND POLISH.
I ASKED MY HUSBAND AND I SAID,
WILL YOU GET ME A DNA TEST FOR
CHRISTMAS?
I SAID ON MY TEST, IT WAS A
CLOSE RELATIVE, THEY SAID WE
LIKELY SHARE THE SAME
GRANDPARENTS.
I CONNECTED TO THE ONE COUSIN.
I SAID, IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOU
HAVE AN AUNT THAT IS A TWIN?
AND HE SAID SENT ME BACK THE
MESSAGE, HE SAID, I HAVE AN AUNT
WHO IS A TWIN AND SHE GAVE UP A
CHILD FOR ADOPTION IN THE LATE
1970s.
HE'S LIKE, WHEN IS YOUR
BIRTHDAY?
SO THEN, I SENT HIM BACK, JUNE
12th, 1977.
HE IMMEDIATELY SENDS ME BACK A
MESSAGE, MY AUNT GAVE UP A BABY
JUNE 12th.
>> AND ROSEANNE FULLER JOINS US
NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
CAN I ASK YOU, HOW ARE YOU
FEELING?
>> I'M NERVOUS.
YEAH.
>> YOU KNEW YOU WERE ADOPTED
GROWING UP.
>> I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS ADOPTED.
>> YOUR PARENTS WERE OPEN ABOUT
THAT.
>> YES, THEY WERE.
>> WHAT AGE WERE YOU WHEN YOU
CONSIDERED FINDING YOUR BIRTH
MOM?
>> I THOUGHT ABOUT IT MORE AS I
GOT OLDER.
IN MY TEENS AND PROGRESSIVELY AS
I HAD GOTTEN OLDER.
MY INITIAL DESIRE TO DO THE DNA
TEST WAS NOT TO FIND MY BIRTH
MOTHER.
>> WHEN YOU DID LOOK INTO, COULD
I FIND MY BIRTH MOM?
IS IT POSSIBLE?
DID YOU GET ANYWHERE?
>> NO.
THROUGH THE CATHOLIC CHARITIES,
IT WAS COMPLETELY SEALED.
THERE WASN'T ANY INFORMATION TO
BE HAD.
>> WHEN THEY SAY SEALED, IT'S
SEALED.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT IF
THE BIRTH MOTHER AND BIRTH
FATHER DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE
IT.
YOU DECIDED TO DO THE DNA TEST,
AND FIGURE OUT IF YOU'RE
SICILIAN.
AND YOU THOUGHT THE BIG SHOCK
WOULD BE, YOU'RE NOT SICILIAN.
>> I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE THE
BIG SHOCK.
>> BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE
ON THAT 23ANDME RESULT SHEET YOU
GOT THAT SAID WHAT?
>> IT LINKS YOU ALL DIFFERENT
DNA RELATIVES.
ON THAT, ONE OF THE DNA
RELATIVES SOMEONE THEY SAID
WOULD BE MY FIRST COUSIN AND
THAT WE SHARE THE SAME SET OF
GRANDPARENTS.
>> WHEN YOU CALL THIS GUY AND
YOU EXCHANGE THE INFORMATION
ABOUT, DO YOU HAVE AN AUNT
THAT'S A TWIN?
HE SAID, YES, SHE GAVE UP A
BABY.
HOW LONG DID THE WHOLE THING
TAKE BETWEEN LET ME SEE MY
RESULTS AND OH, MY GOD, I FOUND
MY BIRTH MOTHER?
>> WE STARTED MESSAGING BACK AND
FORTH, PROBABLY FRIDAY
AFTERNOON.
AND BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON,
MYSTERY SOLVED.
WE KNEW.
>> WOW.
HOW DOES YOUR MOM FEEL ABOUT THE
WHOLE THING.
THAT'S HARD ON THE MOMS.
>> I THINK IT'S HARD ON MY MOM.
>> SHOULD IT BE?
>> NO.
MY MOM IS MY MOM.
SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MY MOM.
>> NO MATTER WHAT, RIGHT?
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO
KNOW WHO YOUR BIRTH MOM IS?
>> I WANTED TO KNOW HEALTH
INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU LOOK AT
YOURSELF, YOU SEE FAMILIES AND
YOU SAY, THIS PERSON LOOKS LIKE
THIS PERSON.
AND I HAD NO -- THERE WAS NO
BACKDROP.
THERE WAS NO FRAME OF REFERENCE
FOR ME.
I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
>> YOU FIGURE OUT WHO IT IS.
AND YOU AND SHE HAVE SPOKEN ON
THE PHONE.
>> WE HAVE SPOKEN ON THE PHONE.
WE'VE SEEN PICTURES AND WE'VE
SEEN EACH OTHER, WE'RE FACEBOOK
FRIENDS.
>> YOU HAVEN'T MET IN PERSON YET
UNTIL TODAY.
WHY IS THAT?
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT?
>> I THINK I'VE BEEN A LITTLE
SLOW ON IT.
EVERYTHING THAT KATHY HAS HOLD
ME, I HAD TO PROCESS IT AND I
HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT.
I THINK I'VE BEEN TESTING THE
WATERS AND GOING KIND OF SLOW
WITH IT.
>> SITTING HERE NOW, I'M DOING
AN INTERVIEW.
YOU'RE SITTING THERE THINKING,
IN A MINUTE, I'M GOING TO MEET
THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO ME.
WHAT WILL YOU BE LOOKING FOR?
IF IT'S ONE THING TO SEE
PICTURES.
IT'S ANOTHER TO BE STARING
FACE-TO-BASE WITH THIS GENETIC
LINK.
>> I THINK JUST THE CONNECTION.
LIKE, DO WE LOOK THE SAME?
DO WE --
>> HAVE THE SAME MANNERISMS?
>> YES.
>> KATHY HAS TOLD US, SHE IS SO
EXCITED AND NERVOUS FOR THIS,
SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP A
WINK IN DAYS.
SHE'S HERE.
WHEN WE COME BACK, THE MOMENT WE
HAVE A
[ APPLAUSE ]
>>> WE'RE BACK, NOW, WITH
ROSEANNE FULLER.
SHE RECENTLY FOUND HER BIRTH
MOTHER, WHO GAVE HER UP FOR
ADOPTION 40 YEARS AGO.
THAT WOMAN'S NAME IS KATHY
SMITH.
AND SHE'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THIS WALL.
THE TWO HAVE SPOKEN TO EACH
OTHER ON THE PHONE BUT HAVE
NEVER MET IN PERSON, UNTIL NOW.
ARE YOU READY?
ROSEANNE AND KATHY, WHY DON'T
YOU WALK FORWARD AND SAY HELLO
TO EACH OTHER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> COME ON OVER.
COME ON OVER.
HI, MOM.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> FINE.
>> YOU CAN TAKE A SEAT RIGHT
THERE.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
>> NERVOUS.
>> OH.
IT'S SCARY, RIGHT?
>> EXCITED.
>> IT'S GOT TO BE.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING NOW?
>> I'M OKAY.
>> I WAS SAYING DURING THE
BREAK, FOR US, THIS IS GREAT TV.
AND FOR YOU, THIS IS SOMETHING
FAR MORE EMOTIONAL AND INVOLVED.
KATHY, TAKE US BACK TO THAT --
40 YEARS AGO, YOU WERE JUST 18
YEARS OLD.
>> YEAH.
>> AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO
GIVE ROSEANNE UP?
>> I COULD ONLY GIVE HER LOVE.
MY FAMILY WAS BEMIND ME.
I HAVE A REALLY CLOSE FAMILY.
FROM THE TIME I KNEW I WAS
PREGNANT, I WANTED HER TO HAVE A
FAMILY, A MOM AND A DAD, THAT
WOULD BE ABLE TO LOVE HER MORE
THAN I COULD LOVE HER.
AND JUST AS MUCH.
>> THERE WAS NO DAD IN THE
PICTURE IN YOUR CASE.
AND YOU DID HAVE A SECRET THAT
YOU HAD TO REVEAL TO ROSEANNE
WHEN YOU SPOKE ON THE PHONE
ABOUT THE NIGHT SHE WAS
CONCEIVED.
>> YES.
>> WHICH WAS WHAT?
>> IT WAS A DATE RAPE.
>> AND HE TOOK OFF WHEN HE
REALIZED YOU WERE PREGNANT?
>> YEAH.
HOW IS THAT, ROSEANNE?
>> THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME.
YEAH.
THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME.
I GUESS I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD
BE HAVING A GOOD TIME WHEN KIDS
ARE MADE.
AND THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME A
LOT.
>> YEP.
YOU MANAGED TO GET THROUGH.
A LOT OF WOMEN WOULD HAVE MADE A
DIFFERENT CHOICE.
YOU DECIDED TO HAVE A BABY.
THERE WAS A MOMENT IN THE
HOSPITAL.
FIRST, YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU
WANTED TO SEE HER.
>> NO.
>> AND YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT IN
THE HOSPITAL?
>> THE LAST DAY I WAS IN THE
HOSPITAL, I HAD TO HOLD HER.
I JUST, I MEAN, I CARRIED HER
FOR NINE MONTHS.
THERE WAS SOMETHING, THEY TOLD
ME I HAD TO HOLD HER.
IT WAS FEEDING TIME.
AND THEY BROUGHT HER IN AND I
FED HER.
IT WAS TIME TO GIVE HER BACK.
AS SOON AS I GAVE HER BACK TO
THE NURSE, SHE STARTED CRYING.
LIKE, IT WAS A LAST GOOD-BYE.
>> BUT YOU GAVE HER OVER ANYWAY.
>> YEAH.
>> AND I KNOW ALL THESE YEARS,
YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HER.
AND YOU HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE
LIVING 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM EACH
OTHER?
>> NO.
>> IT'S POSSIBLE, YOU PASSED
EACH OTHER IN THE GROCERY STORE
OR ON THE STREET?
>> WE COULD HAVE, ABSOLUTELY.
>> YOU COULD HAVE BEEN, I WAS IN
FIRST IN LINE THERE.
>> FIGHTING FOR A PARKING LOT
SPACE.
>> RIGHT?
IN A WAY, IT'S FORTUITOUS THAT
YOU TOOK THE TEST WHEN YOU DID.
YOU, SEPARATELY, WERE GOING
THROUGH A MEDICAL ISSUE THAT CAN
BE GENETIC THAT YOU ULTIMATELY
TOLD ROSEANNE ABOUT.
WHAT IS IT?
>> THE FACTOR FIVE DEFICIECY
THAT CAUSES BLOOD CLOTS.
>> IF YOU HAVE THIS, IT'S HELP
HELPFUL TO KNOW ABOUT THIS IN
ADVANCE.
>> YES.
I HAD A DOUBLE PULMONARY
EMBOLISM.
>> AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN
TEST FOR?
>> I HAD THE TEST.
I'M WAITING TO HEAR BACK ON THE
RESULTS.
>> THANK GOD YOU DID IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S IMPERATIVE TO KNOW THAT
INFORMATION.
>> CAN I ASK YOU, AS A MOM WHO
GAVE UP HER BABY FOR ADOPTION,
WHAT DID YOU -- WHAT WAS YOUR
GREATEST WORRY OVER THE 40
YEARS?
>> THAT SHE HAD A GOOD LIFE.
I WANTED -- MY BIGGEST FEAR IS
THAT SHE -- MY BIGGEST FEAR IS I
WANTED HER TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE.
ONE THAT I COULDN'T GIVE HER.
>> ROSEANNE, HOW HAS YOUR LIFE
BEEN?
>> IT'S BEEN A GREAT LIFE.
>> HAD A HAPPY CHILDHOOD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
YOU HAVE A HUSBAND.
YOU'RE HAPPILY MARRIED.
>> I HAVE A HUSBAND, KIDS, MY
PARENTS ARE GREAT.
I HAVE THE BEST FRIENDS.
WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOREVER.
I HAVE A GREAT LIFE.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY
WITH US AND ALL THE BEST TO YOU
BOTH.