16-Year-Old Girl Gives up Son for Adoption, Hugs Him for the First Time 45 Years Later

Brenda Van Sickle could not take care of a kid when she gave birth as a 16-year-old. She ultimately gave up the kid for adoption, leaving her heartbroken. Forty-five years later, she received a call that changed everything.

In 1975, 16-year-old North Texas girl, Brenda Van Sickle, realized she was pregnant. As a teenager, young Van Sickle could not take care of a child.

S,o when she gave birth to a baby boy in Fort Worth some months later, Van Sickle gave up her son for adoption. The new mother was allowed to see her baby for only 15 minutes before the nurses wheeled him away.

The teenager felt very sad when her baby was taken away from her and wished she had the capabilities to take care of the kid but ultimately, giving him up was the best thing for the baby at that time.

Years later, Van Sickle got married and worked in the TV news business before moving to the public information office at Arlington Police Department.

One day, while working at her latest job post, Van Sickle suddenly received a weird call that changed everything for her.

MOTHER AND SON REUNION

Van Sickle was not expecting a call when her phone surprisingly rang. Nevertheless, she picked, and the caller identified himself as Wes Fenner, from New Orleans. She did not know the name, but the call took another weird turn when the caller asked if she had given up a child for adoption in 1975.

After some weeks, the pair decided to meet at a hotel in Terrell, Texas. Van Sickle waited in the parking lot and stood overlooking a nearby pond when she heard a voice behind her say:

"Mom, it's me."

Van Sickle could not believe she was looking at the son she gave up 45 years prior, and the pair hugged for about 20 minutes.

The emotional moment was overwhelming for the two, and they could not hold back their tears. Afterward, they helped wipe each other's tears away.

Fenner described that looking at his mother for the first time felt like seeing an older version of himself and meeting his mother after 45 years left him speechless.

Van Sickle, meanwhile, explained she had also tried to look for her son, but her attempts were unsuccessful. This was because she only knew his birth date and birthplace, which were not enough.

Fenner tried to reconnect with his mother for over a decade but got discouraged. He was eventually successful in his attempts when he found his mother through DNA testing and with the help of an adoption search angel.

MOVING FORWARD

Van Sickle and her son have decided to make up for lost time and share stories and information about how they have lived their lives for the past 45 years. Fenner informed his mother he had a good life and a loving family in New Orleans, where he worked in a bank and had started a family of his own.

Van Sickle was even a grandmother to a 9-year-old grandson she subsequently met. The pair have also found out they have a lot in common, such as liking the same movies and songs.

However, mother and son decided to stay in touch regularly, and Van Sickle declared that just meeting up was not the end of their journey. They still had a lot of memories to make together.