This Story of an Adopted Girl Meeting Her Birth Parents is the Best Thing You’ll Read All Day

Can you imagine not knowing about your biological parents or heritage until your 20s?

“Growing up, I never really asked any questions, I asked my mum, I was like ‘what do you know about my adoption’ one time in the car… I think my biggest fear in meeting my biological family is that somehow I’ll disappoint them more,” said Kati. “In a lot of ways obviously, they feel like they’ve let me down. But I also know how much pain they’ve gone through.”

This is the incredible story of one daughter, Kati, and her journey to meet her biological parents for the first time in 20 years. Kati was forced to be put up for adoption at one year old as a result of a devastatingly sad, yet common circumstance created by China’s former One-Child Policy. This policy enforces only having one child per couple with strict consequences including steep fines, abortion and sterilization.

Kati’s biological parents, Lida and Fenxiang, were forced to make the most difficult decision of their lives when in 1994 they became pregnant with Kati, who was to be their second child. Instead of aborting her, they decided they would give her away with the hopes of meeting her again later in life.

American couple Ken and Ruth travelled to China where they met Kati for the first time. At the orphanage, Kati’s birth parents left a heartfelt note asking Ken and Ruth to meet them with Kati in 10-20 years on the famed Broken Bridge in Hangzhou.

“She asked me whose tummy she came from… and I said no you didn’t come from my tummy, you came from a lady’s tummy in China, but you came from my heart. You were born of my heart” said Kati’s adopted mother Ruth.

Kati’s birth parents have been waiting patiently since 2004 in hopes of reuniting with Kati. And after over 20 years, the time had finally come for the greatly anticipated reunion with her biological parents.

“What can I say to her when we meet? Would it help to say sorry?,” said Fenxiang. “No. Ten thousand sorries wouldn’t be enough.”

The tender meeting was filled with smiles, hugs and tears of joy.

After spending time with her biological parents, Kati has finally had the chance to experience the love of her second, yet equally important family.

“The love is almost overwhelming,” said Kati.” I know my adoptive parents love me, and now I have this whole other love that I never knew existed, but I guess was always there.”

The joy and immense gratitude to be reunited with their daughter is a touching, happy moment in the lives of both families.