Being adopted has always been something that I love talking to people about. Having an adopted family is awesome! Having a biological family is awesome, too!
As a child, I always wondered who my real parents were. I wondered if I had any brothers or sisters. When I was about 15, my family went on vacation. My parents revealed that they wanted to share some exciting news with me: I had a biological brother and that he lived in Syracuse, New York.
The adoption agency was not allowed to release information on my parents until I was 18 years old, but my brother’s parents actually reached out through the agency and found my family’s information.
About a year later, we made connections and arranged to meet each other. We spent the day talking and getting to know much more about each other. We could see how similar we were in everything we did. The unique thing I loved was that there was someone else who looked like me. From that day forward, we have kept in contact. We text, call and Snapchat.
When I was talking to my brother about going to Fredonia, he mentioned a friend of his, Maggie, was going for musical theatre. I said I would keep my eyes out on a girl named Maggie.
Well, funny story.
On the first day of classes, I was heading to costume shop. I was walking next to this girl. As we were talking, I figured it would be nice of me to say “hi.”
I said, “Hi! I’m Kevin! What’s your name?”
She replied with her name. I stopped dead in my tracks, looked at her with a puzzled face, and asked her to repeat her name. She said her name again and I excitedly told her the connection between us — the fact that she knew my brother.
From that day up to now, I keep meeting people who somehow know my little brother. It’s funny how small this world is. I am so happy that I got the chance to meet my little brother and stay in contact with him! He is family.
Like the movie Lilo and Stitch, “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind … or forgotten.” This is true and will forever be a quote I share with my brother.