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Updated: 9:29 AM Apr 22, 2008
Mother finds missing son after 50 years
DENISON, TX - A woman in Germany has been looking for her son since he was taken from her 50 years ago. Now she's finally found him in Denison, Texas. But for most of those years, she never even knew he'd been adopted. Mystic Matthews is here to explain why. Posted: 11:00 PM Apr 21, 2008Reporter: Mystic Matthews Email Address: mystic.matthews@kxii.com |
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DENISON, Tex. - A woman in Germany has been looking for her son since he was taken from her 50 years ago. Now she's finally found him in Denison, Texas. But for most of those years, she never even knew he'd been adopted. Mystic Matthews is here to explain why.
Imagine coming home one day from work to find your two-year-old gone and having no idea who has taken him and no idea why. That did happen to one mother, but lucky for her, this story has a happy ending.
Irmgard Walter is talking in German about being reunited with her son, Rick Potter, after 50 years. Potter was adopted by Jesse and Hilda Potter, who were in Germany while Jesse served in the Air Force, and took Rick back to the states.
Mr. Potter says, “He just brought him over to us. I didn't know, he didn't say I got him from here or there. We just went right on. I raised him like a normal kid."
Rick has a sister, Linda, who was also adopted in Germany. She was left at the hospital where her mom gave birth. Both adoptions were legal according to German law, but the family didn't know Rick was essentially taken from his mother.
Mr. Potter says, “I told her if I had known at the time, I would have taken him back to her. But I didn't know that.”
Rick was raised in Denison, Texas. He says, “I was content. I grew up where I was supposed to. I was where I needed to be.”
He was always curious about his biological mother, but never dreamed she would find him.
Mr. Potter says, “I felt real glad and happy she found him. I never hid the fact they were adopted.”
But Irmgard never gave up looking for the son taken from her so suddenly in 1957. She says, “I’m so happy I found him."
About eight years ago, Irmgard decided to intensify the search for her son by hiring an attorney. And in September of last year, the Potter family received a letter from an adoption agency in Germany asking about Rick.
Rick says, “Linda called and said they got a letter from an adoption agency that wanted to know if my biological mother could contact me. I said, 'What?'"
So last month, Rick flew to Germany to meet his biological mother for the first time, and just last week, they both came to Denison.
Irmgard says, “It was hard on one side and better on the other side. But I do the best to make it. I'm very happy I found my son.”
To this day, no one knows why Rick was originally taken from his home. But the entire family is more than happy they were finally reunited.
Rick's sister, Linda, has still not found her biological parents, but continues to search.
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