To say the least, giving up a kid for adoption is a difficult decision. Even when adoption is in everyone’s best interests, both parties often find themselves wishing to see each other again as the years pass. Tammy Oswalt of Winter Park, Florida, and her son, Bruce, whom she had put up for adoption as a newborn, made that goal a reality last month!
Tammy Oswalt, from Orlando, Florida, has had a life filled with ups and downs. Her partner had recently left her, she had lost her job, and she was on the verge of becoming homeless. Oswalt stated that she wished for her kid, whom she named “Bruce,” to have a happy and normal life, but that she was unable to provide for him. After considerable deliberation, the expectant mother made a decision that would haunt her for the rest of her life: she chose to place her newborn baby for adoption.
“He deserved two loving parents, a stable home, and everything else I couldn’t provide at the time…” It broke my heart every day to wonder where he was, how he was, and if he despised me,” she explained. Bruce was finally adopted and given the name Dylan. Tammy and his adoptive mother communicated for a while, but as Tammy’s subsequent questions went unanswered, she chose to withdraw discreetly. She never gave up hope that she would see her son again.
She had no idea Dylan had met one of Tammy’s kids, Sammy Hewett, online last fall. The siblings talked for months before Sammy admitted to Tammy that they’d been in contact. In August, the mother and son had their first phone discussion. Then, just a few days after Tammy’s birthday, Sammy asked her to dinner, where she revealed a big surprise: “I want you to meet your son, Dylan,” she said. Tammy turned around to find her kid, whom she had thought she’d never see again, leaning against the post behind her.
Their reunion will undoubtedly be a memorable event in their lives. The grieving mother had yearned to hold her son in her arms for 18 years, and when the opportunity arose, she jumped at it. Oswalt and Dylan exchanged a lengthy and touching embrace. “So much ran through me the instant I turned around and saw him.” I really wanted to hold and kiss him because there was so much love in the room.
I felt complete for the first time since I last had Dylan in my arms. Dylan and Oswalt were surprised to learn that they just lived 90 minutes apart. The long-separated mother and son announced their intention to reunite and heal their relationship. A wonderful family reunion Oswalt expressed her joy by expressing that reuniting with her kid had made her feel whole.
We’re thrilled that Oswalt has finally brought closure to a mother who has waited over two decades for the kid she has never stopped loving. What are your thoughts on this lovely family reunion story? If this remarkable story warmed your heart, please share it with your family and friends.