Elderly Man Kisses Mom for the First Time 73 Years after She Was Forced to Give Him Up

An elderly man grew up with wonderful parents, and yet a significant part of his identity was lost -- one he spent decades trying to find, worried that it may be buried forever.

Born in 1941, Charles Bruce Pate was dressed in all blue when he said goodbye to his biological mother and was taken into the arms of his warm and loving adoptive parents.

In the 1940s, a teenager named Pauline was forced to give up her newborn only two months after giving birth. She dressed him in blue from head to toe and bid him farewell forever -- or so she thought.

AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION

While he adored his adoptive parents, Pate always felt as if a piece of his identity was missing, and so he began the long journey towards finding Pauline.

The maze was not easy, as decades passed with roadblock after roadblock. Eventually, he came across a golden nugget, using Throughancestry.com to help him -- and it certainly did.

AN END TO THE SEARCH

This route eventually led to a phone call with the mother this son had been longing to talk to for his entire life. They were both completely blown away at hearing one another's voices. It was also a relief for Pate, who expressed:

"I was afraid when I did find my family, I would probably visit the grave and not her."

After speaking on the phone, the two were ready to take the first step, and so in 2014, with Pate at the age of 73 years old and Pauline at 88 years old, the two met face to face.

THE REUNION

Giving one another a hug, Pate kissed his mother on the cheek. They spent a few days together, making up for a lifetime of missed moments and memories. Speaking about her personality, the then 73-year-old stated:

"She likes to talk. She never meets a stranger."

This penchant for talking hasn't ceased as the two were said to constantly chat over the telephone -- all of this helping the adopted Pate form a more well-rounded and solid identity.

WE MEET AGAIN

As the kiss on Pate's blood-related mother's cheek showed, meeting one's biological parents can be a highly emotional moment. Joanna Winans also had a similar experience. In 2019, she met her birth mom at a Medical Center, asking her:

"

"

Looking to see if there were any differences between their hands and feet and as if no time had passed, the two cried, napped, and watched the Bachelor.

Winans' blood-related mother, Amber Davis, gave up her blood-related daughter as she knew she was incapable of looking after her.

This strength to give one's child away for the child's sake and in a selfless manner is often overlooked. Winans claimed that birth parents do not receive "enough credit" -- a sentiment we should keep in our hearts for consideration.