“There are four of us, and we’re all adopted. I never knew my biological parents. When I was 25, I did find out their names. But I never tracked them down. From what I understand, they had a child and could not afford another one. … Continue readingAdoptee thankful for only parents she ever knew
“I’ve only visited my dad’s gravesite twice since he died 15 years ago. In my mind, he isn’t there anyway. So it’s just not something I think to do. Recently, driving from my mom’s to my sister’s house, I was rerouted because of traffic and … Continue readingSad moment helps bring strangers together
“As kids in Indiana, we lived in five houses. Our parents would finish remodeling one and we’d move on to the next. Growing up, five years was the longest we ever lived in one place. It got to the point where we’d be watching them … Continue readingCrafty sisters inherit creative instincts from parents
A childhood accident took her hearing. A determined son and daughter helped return it. Using sign language, Yolanda Willey says she was about 5 years old when she fell at home. Her memory of the incident is a bit fuzzy — it happened more than … Continue readingShe gains her freedom from the sounds of silence
“Neither of my parents are college educated. My father only made it to third grade. But from an early age, he made sure that my sister and I knew the importance of a good education. “My dad always had his regular job, but he also … Continue readingSisters happy they took dad’s education advice
Allen Guy didn’t enjoy a storybook childhood. Early life chapters were filled with things like an absent father, exposure to drugs and an infant brother who died in his arms. As he got older, things didn’t get much easier. … Continue readingYBS Mentoring makes positive impact on youth
“Believe it or not, I never wanted to have children. Honestly, I felt like the world was a little too cruel, and I didn’t really want to subject him to that. But I also hadn’t met the person that I wanted to have a kid … Continue readingMom watches out for son in what can be ‘cruel world’
“I was an uh-oh baby. My parents were very young, 17. So my grandpa told my dad, ‘You’re not taking my girls until you get an education.’ My mom and I lived with my grandparents for a few years. When my dad finished school and … Continue readingAfter car accident, ‘I was my dad’s hands’
“My parents came from Mexico. They kind of struggled supporting us, even though they were working two jobs. So I started working when I was 16, just trying to help out. My parents finally had an opportunity to build a house. So all the money … Continue readingIt’s never too late for that college degree
“When I left for Japan in 2011, he seemed mostly normal. Maybe a few forgetful things, but I kind of chalked it up to age. Then when I came back to visit in 2013, he was so much worse. I was only here for three … Continue readingDaughter ready to step up to help with Alzheimer’s