U.S. adoptees stolen from Chile reunite with biological families in Chile

HOUSTON - Five U.S. adoptees, taken as infants during Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s regime, are returning to Chile to meet their biological families for the first time. 

What they're saying:

It was a heartwarming scene as these adoptees, both excited and nervous, prepared to meet their biological families in person for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Julea Ferrara, one of the adoptees, expressed her emotions, saying, "It’s like answering a little girl’s prayers."

Adamary Garcia shared her feelings, stating, "I’m nervous and anxious, but there’s obviously a lot of happiness that I’m feeling for meeting my family."

Ana-Maria H described the experience as indescribable, saying, "There’s literally not a perfect word that describes the feeling of being reunited with your birth mom after being taken."

For almost 40 years, their families were told they had died at birth, only to later discover the truth: Julia, Adamary, and Ana-Maria had been trafficked into adoption.

What we know:

Julea, who grew up in Detroit, Adamary in Miami, and Ana-Maria in Minnesota, always knew they were adopted because they looked different from their adoptive families. Despite having a better quality of life, they were curious about their history and heritage.

Adamary Garcia reflected on this curiosity, saying, "You kind of always wonder who you look like. Why do you do the things you do? Do I have any brothers and sisters? That’s basically my curiosity."

Thanks to a MyHeritage DNA test and the help of the non-governmental organization, Connecting Roots, they were able to reunite with their biological families in Chile.

David Avary, DNA Logistics Coordinator, explained, "All of us as adoptees, whether we think it or not, subconsciously, we’re missing a piece of our life. We spend our whole life finding that. Connecting Roots has helped us find that."

Avary not only works for Connecting Roots, but he also shares the same story as the adoptees. He, too, was stolen at birth and was able to reconnect with his family in Chile.

What you can do:

Connecting Roots and their ongoing efforts to connect more Chilean adoptees with their biological families have an ongoing fundraising campaign and are looking to raise more funds to support more reunion trips in the future. You can learn more here.