Woman finds family at 94, launches book tour at 102

The OC Register ^ | April 19, 2014 | Tom Berg

[cdga5for4]

It’s about a life-altering discovery that Disbrow made – 77 years after she was raped. It’s not the type of thing you talk about, so Disbrow never did.

But the crime – committed by a stranger during a school picnic – resulted in a child whom Disbrow was forced to give up.

And that child, well, Disbrow never stopped thinking about her.

Disbrow wrote her letters, prayed for her. And, for decades, every May 22, Disbrow would pull out a small photograph and silently wish her daughter a happy birthday.

Disbrow married and had other children. By 2006, she had lived a full and active life, but she could not bear the thought of going to her grave with one question unanswered:

Whatever happened to her baby girl?

[cdga5for4]

This story is incredible. 16-year-old girl is raped in the 1920s. She has the baby but is forced to give it up for adoption. She's reunited with her daughter 77 years later and her biological grandson had become a NASA astronaut. Amazing.

[huldah1776]

Wonderful life that will save lives in the sharing. Eternally blessed.

[Awgie]

AMAZING! Truth Always is Stranger then Fiction.

This story is very similar to a movie I watched this week, “Philomena.” Based on a true (similar) story, it brought tears to my eyes.

The themes of Motherhood, Family, Love and Religious Faith are powerfully represented in both the movie “Philomena” and this latest story.

I would encourage everyone to see the movie as well as learn more about the real life story discussed in this article.

[Girlene]

What a beautiful story.

[UnwashedPeasant]

"It turns out [the baby, now an old woman,] had undergone heart surgery and needed family medical records. That led her to the former Lutheran Home for Girls in Sioux Falls, S.D., where she knew she was born. And that led, after court approval, to 272 pages of documents – including several letters from a 17-year-old girl named Minka."

Letters about 76 years old. There must be letters like that all over the country that will never be read.

[SuziQ]

THIS is why I don’t support abortion in case of rape. The child is blameless in the matter, so why not support the mother, who shouldn’t have to go through the trauma of taking the baby, after having been violated?

[SuziQ]

I want to see “Philomena”, simply because I really like Dame Judi Dench!

[lee martell]

Thank you so much for posting this story today. This story helps me put my life in better perspective. Sometimes hope really does spring eternally.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks cdga5for4. Happy Easter everyone.

...a child whom Disbrow was forced to give up. And that child, well, Disbrow never stopped thinking about her. Disbrow wrote her letters, prayed for her. And, for decades, every May 22, Disbrow would pull out a small photograph and silently wish her daughter a happy birthday. Disbrow married and had other children. By 2006, she had lived a full and active life, but she could not bear the thought of going to her grave with one question unanswered: Whatever happened to her baby girl?

[ExCTCitizen]

Judy Dench is a great actress. I love her in the BBC show ‘As Time Goes By’.

[ops33]

“Look what God did. He gave me a second family!”

Blessed be the Name of the Lord!