Figure skater Scott Hamilton was adopted as an infant, raised by a loving family that made adoption, to him, a wonderful experience. Many people with adoptive origins have made extraordinary contributions to our culture. He has a sister, Linda, that is also adopted. At that time Angelous was moved to the town of Stamps, Arkansas to be raised by her grandmother. Read the stories of eight adoptees who found their biological parents through DNA kits. Learn about 15 famous artists, innovators and leaders who were actually adopted as children at WomansDay.com. Here is a list of famous orphans and famous people from history who were orphaned or adopted and grew up to be celebrities and make positive contributions to society! Her parents were having issues, so Lionel offered to watch her for a while. Find out how one book helped to feed 30,000+ orphans in Haiti. Movie director Michael Bay tells Rolling Stone he was about five or six years old when he found out he was adopted and didn’t find the news all that surprising. “I know who my mother is. Try these 10 little ways to encourage your kid to learn gratitude. ©1999-2020 HOLLYWOOD.COM, LLC. By Sharon Yan, Maggie Maloney and Charlotte Chilton. An American gymnast, Biles became the 2016 Olympic individual all-around, vault, and floor gold medalist. Meg Ryan tops our list. Jesse Jackson was adopted by his stepfather at the age of one. Her adoptive father was a pastor for the Disciples of Christ, and gave her a "moral barometer." Impacted by the film Lion, which addresses adoption, Kristin Chenoweth chose to share her own adoption story in a personal essay. Born Eric Marlon Bishop to Darrell Bishop and Louise Annette Talley Dixon to young parents, who split up shortly after his birth. Find out 50 tiny yet powerful ways you an encourage your kids on a daily basis. CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock, Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock, Larry Levinson Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). Teresa and Rick Kaepernick adopted son Colin Kaepernick when he was five weeks old. Some of these celebrities adopted their children with their spouse, while others adopted as a single parent. 26 November, 2019 by Britt Stephens. Ray Liotta was born and adopted at 6-months-old in Newark, New Jersey by Mary and Alfrecd Liotta. Nine-year-old Nelson Mandela was adopted after his father passed away in 1927. Other Famous Adopted People: Other famous celebrities and successful people who were adopted or were part of foster care system are; Marilyn Monroe (Actress), John Washington Carver (Inventor), Nat King Cole (Singer), Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (Country Singer), Tommy Davidson (Comedian), Bo Diddly (Musician), Gerald Ford (Former US President), One famous director has adopted both domestically and from China. She reached out to the people she trusted.” These are 10 things parents of adopted children really wish you knew. Adopted at a young age, actor Ted Danson went on to later adopt children with his second wife Cassandra Coates. In April 2011, they adopted a daughter, Amaya Josephine. So new, in fact, she was only a day old when she became the daughter of Paul Gilbert and Barbara Crane, both actors. Biles’ grandfather and his wife adopted her, making them her mom and dad. Academy Award winner Frances McDormand was adopted at 18 months of age. During one particular episode, however, Foxx got teary-eyed by a couple trying to win money to send their adopted children to college. It was Dalindyebo who saw the potential in Mandela and encouraged him to become a young leader within the tribe. “My parents always said, ‘That’s a possibility for you.’ Melissa Gilbert was adopted after one day of birth by actor and comedian Paul Gilbert, ultimately helping her land the role of Laura Ingalls Wilder on Little House on the Prairie. Nicole Richie, the former reality TV star, was adopted by pop icon Lionel Richie when she was 4 years old. The fact that they are not my biological parents does not change the fact that they are simply, my parents.” Find out the secrets of the happiest families. It does not substance where you come from as long as you reach where you want to. “It was never something that was hidden from me and it is not something I have ever been ashamed of. Put her in my house, when the tour is over we will sort this out’,” Lionel said in an interview with Piers Morgan. When she learned she had been adopted, Sarah McLachlan recalls taking the news in stride. On his FOX game show Beat Shazam, Jamie Foxx brings the funny during the light-hearted (but tense) rounds of contestants trying to win money. At a young age, he was adopted, along with three cousins, by his mother's cousin, who moved the family to Chicago in the mid-1930s. I recognize how fortunate I am to have parents who love and support me unconditionally. Plenty of stars have made headlines for becoming adoptive parents, but many people aren't aware that numerous famous faces have been on the other … McLachlan is also a huge animal advocate, and these are animal adoption stories that will melt your heart. This meant they set up households everywhere from Charleston, South Carolina to Yugoslavia. Did You Know? In April 2011, they adopted a daughter, Amaya Josephine, and were there at her birth. 18. In an interview with MOJO magazine, Harry admits that the relationship she shared with her parents wasn’t always smooth, particularly when she decided to pursue music as a career. She eventually did find and meet her birth parents as well as her biological brother. Music icon Eric Clapton did not know that the people he believed to be his parents were actually his grandparents (mother and stepfather to his biological mom Patricia, who gave birth to him as a teen) until later in life. Actress Melissa Gilbert was adopted as a newborn. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. These are the triumphs and tragedies only military families will understand. This adopted woman searched for her birth mother for 33 years. We recommend our users to update the browser. 1-800-218-3309 [email … Steve Jobs is an inspirational figure who as the co-founder and CEO of Apple Computer revolutionised technology. Later that year, they adopted a boy, Andrew, who had been born earlier in the year. “Can honestly say being adopted was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” she wrote on Huff Post. “My parents always said, ‘That’s a possibility for you.’ That was one of the most unexpected and crucial and significant and foundational things that has happened in my life.” These 27 quotes about hope will instantly lift you up. Adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs, a couple who had been unable to have children, Apple founder Steve Jobs grew up in the part of Northern California now known as Silicon Valley with his adoptive sister Patti. Gary Coleman He was adopted as a small child by W. G. Coleman, a fork-lift operator, and Edmonia Sue, a nurse practitioner (Photo Credit: Facebook) 4 of 7 5. Celebrities Who Were Adopted 20 Stars You Didn't Know Were Adopted. Her parents, Noreen McDormand and Rev Vernon McDormand worked as a nurse and an evangelical preacher, respectively, according to The Guardian. The two formerly married actors adopted two children, Connor and Isabella while they were together. When he was 25 years old Key found his biological mother. It was like, ‘Oh, okay, good to know, you’re still my mom and dad.’ Perhaps I was too young to understand it really, but it just never was a big issue to me. It’s called fate,” Polizzi shared in a YouTube video about adoption in 2018. There are a number of famous people who have an alternate individuality of being adopted children. He recalls picking up his younger sister from an orphanage when he was three years old. Jun 29, 2020 Getty Images. After experiencing career success with the fast-food chain named after his youngest daughter (Thomas had five children), he set up the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, helping to unite children in foster care with their forever families. Beyond her former hard-partying Jersey Shore personal, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi has an interview story to tell: She was adopted from Santiago, Chile at the age of 6 months old. The McDonalds had already fostered nine other children, but officially only adopted three. Born Marguerite Johnson, treasured poet Maya Angelou lived with her parents in St. Louis, Missouri until they divorced when she was three years old. 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Dave Thomas -Wendy's Founder Given up at birth and adopted at 6 weeks old later founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for adopted children fund My mother came from a family that thought artists were the slime of the earth. These are the costs everyone needs to know. I have a very clear idea of who she was. “And of course they weren’t artists and the whole idea of it was barbaric. Top 10 Famous People Who were Adopted. Here are seven famous celebrities who were adopted kids. See what his daughter Wendy looks like in real life. I was surprised to see how many of our favorite childhood heroes were adopted or raised by someone other than their parents. “I took my milk and poured it on the floor.” Find out more about 11 famous sibling rivalries throughout history. These famous people were the lucky ones, because they were adopted, either by relatives or families that had abundant love to give to them. And there isn’t a singular way to become a family, either. “Afterward, we had a big family party, and I was all upset,” he says in the interview. According to Adoption.com, after his parents’ marriage failed around the time he was five years old, Lennon was raised by his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George, who did not have any biological children of their own. I could tell because, you know, things just work out that way. “I was adopted at seven months and I’m going to tell you what that means. Because of this, Hamilton and his wife adopted two Haitian children, Evelyne and her brother Jean Paul, when they were 11 and 13, respectively. McDormand was adopted by Noreen and Vernon McDonald when she was just 1 years old (she called her birth mother "white trash"). Subscribe us: https://goo.gl/pzAVWW ”Unfortunately for me, or unfortunately for my parents, I was determined to be an artist,” she says. Don’t miss the 16 myths about adoption you need to understand. He knew at … “We fell in love with these kids two years ago and it took us that long to bring them home,” he said in an interview on Today. That’s how I ended up being adopted. Don’t miss the 10 powerful ways the world still honors Nelson Mandela. Who is the most famous person who has adopted from China? I had such a good response to my list of famous people who were adopted, that I decided to make another list of popular fictional characters who were adopted. Clapton wasn’t legally adopted by the couple, but that clearly did not impact the love he received growing up in the (not surprisingly) musical household. Charlie Henry (Jackson) adopted me and gave me his name, his love, his encouragement, discipline and a high sense of self-respect. Here is a list of some adopted people who became famous later on. “You know what’s amazing?” he said. Ada of Caria formally adopted Alexander the Great in 334 BC, so that the rule of the region would … These stories about people who came from nothing and now give back will make your day. Lineage, place of birth as well as other particulars are rude before a person’s endeavour to build up his/her fortune. Similar to Eric Clapton’s story, she was not legally adopted by her grandmother, however, experienced much of her childhood under her roof. Famous people adopted.. He even went on to describe Simpson as “one of my best friends in the world,” according to The Telegraph. Not more than a year after that he went on to legally adopt Nicole. A Michigan native, actor Keegan-Michael Key was adopted at a young age by two social workers and raised in Detroit. stories about people who came from nothing and now give back will make your day, 27 quotes about hope will instantly lift you up, 15 stories prove that it’s never too late to change your life, These are the costs everyone needs to know, who found their biological parents through DNA kits, 10 things parents of adopted children really wish you knew, 10 little ways to encourage your kid to learn gratitude, 10 powerful ways the world still honors Nelson Mandela, adopted woman searched for her birth mother for 33 years, animal adoption stories that will melt your heart, 16 myths about adoption you need to understand, how one mother helped her adopted son find his “missing piece.”, triumphs and tragedies only military families will understand, one book helped to feed 30,000+ orphans in Haiti, what his daughter Wendy looks like in real life, 11 strange things have been banned in sports, 11 famous sibling rivalries throughout history, 50 tiny yet powerful ways you an encourage your kids on a daily basis, best pieces of advice grandparents have ever given, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. During a particularly intimate moment during her time on Dancing with the Stars, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles opened up about her own adoption, noting that her biological mother suffered from drug and alcohol abuse. No matter how hard things might seem, make sure you never say these worst things you can say to your kids. They named her Kristi Dawn Chenoweth. In 1928, one of America's most influential blues musicians, Ellas Bates -- better known as Bo Diddley -- was born to a desperately poor couple in rural Mississippi. I think it was frightening for them, because they, of course, were trying to protect me.”. “My parents saved me,” she said. This is the one quality Steve Jobs always looked for in employees. The family moved frequently because of Allen’s job as a nuclear submarine officer. Getty Images. Article by rupsha mukherjee, December 17, 2014. Top 10 Famous People Who were Adopted. The character of adoption may or may not have provided the ability to give so much. “Finding her was something that had always been in my mind,” he told Chicago Now. “Finding her was something that had always been in my mind,” he told Chicago Now. For these 25 celebrities, adoption led them to the folks who would be the most formidable of their lives. In 2006, Meg Ryan adopted her daughter, Daisy True, as an infant from China. “They said, ‘We wanted you more than anything in the whole world.’ They were perfect about it.” Phair has never tried to find her biological parents. “[My parents] flew all the way to Chile to come pick me up and they said that right when they saw me I was like, ‘Mama. About his own childhood, Danson tells AARP he always felt like money was tight, the family didn’t own a TV, and he generally looked like a “ragamuffin.” But his parents had the important stuff down. “I was adopted into this incredible home, a loving, positive environment, yet I had this yearning, this kind of darkness that was also inside me,” she told Good Housekeeping. As a child, Faith Hill’s parents told her she was adopted, but the story behind how and why that happened was misconstrued, likely to spare her feelings. 6 foster kids finding their forever home will melt your heart. “There wasn’t a day that went by that I wasn’t told that I was loved in one form or another,” he says. Dada.’ So it was, like, meant to be. A Michigan native, actor Keegan-Michael Key was adopted at a young age by two social workers and raised in Detroit. She knew who my parents were because she was actually fostered by them at one point because she had been through a lot in her life at a young age. Perhaps one of the most public proponents of adoption was Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas. “I was aware of the whole thing (the adoption),” Chasez said during a radio interview. Lineage, birthplace and other details are impertinent before a person’s endeavour to build up his/her fortune. What is common to all famous people who were adopted was that some adult or many adults cared for them, inspired them and helped them to become […] “They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people, and they’ve been there to support me since day one. The NFL player’s parents came under fire when they initially remained silent about the controversy surrounding Colin’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem because of his views on the way the U.S. treats minorities. For Ray Liotta, knowing he was adopted shaped some of the roles he has chosen throughout his acting career. article continues below ad That’s not actually my biological grandmother. The stories of these 6 foster kids finding their forever home will melt your heart. “My parents were very responsible,” she told Women’s Health. Nicole was adopted by musician Lionel Richie. Both comedian Andy Dick and his brother Jeff (who sadly passed away in 2016) were adopted by their parents Allen and Sue Dick. ‘N Sync’s JC Chasez keeps a relatively private life, but he has quietly discussed being adopted at the age of five. After spending time in and out of foster care, Biles was adopted by her grandparents who helped her pursue her dream to reach the Olympics. At the age of four, Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry learned she had been adopted as an infant. There’s nothing I could say to them to thank them enough.” These 13 Olympic moments changed history. “I knew her mother and father… and I said, ‘While you are having difficulty the kid is sitting in limbo. 12. Mississippi-born actress Faith Hill was adopted at a young age by Edna Ted Perry and named Audrey Faith Perry. She raised me up until I was 5. Find out the best pieces of advice grandparents have ever given. For example, his part in The Identical appealed to him because of his personal history. Nicole Richie, Colin Kaepernick, and Faith Hill have all used their spotlight to openly talk about their experiences being adopted, and we've rounded them up, along with more stars. A list of incredible UK people who were fostered adopted or in children’s homes Posted on April 9, 2019 by Lemn Sissay From top comedians to best selling authors and from an NHS manager to a Kiss FM presenter I have compiled this small list of 100 people from the UK who were fostered adopted or in children’s homes. When he was 25 years-old Key found his biological mother. 5. Figure skater Scott Hamilton was adopted as an infant, raised by a loving family that made adoption, to him, a wonderful experience. “I found my birth mother and found out I have, not an identical twin, but a half brother, five half-sisters and a full sister that I didn’t know about until 15 years ago,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2014. Simone Biles. As a baby, he was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs and raised in Los Altos in California’s Silicon Valley. Most of the following celebrities and iconic stars on our list of the top ten most famous people who were adopted, were born with a name so different than the one they’re known by, you’d never guess it was the same person. That’s somebody who said, ‘I see something in that little boy that’s very special. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of family is “a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head.” Of course, we know that family is so much more than that. Interested in adopting? He met her at a Prince concert when she was only four years old. 1 ) Bill Clinton > * His father died in an automobile accident before he was born (and he was actually born William Blythe III). However close he became with her, the tech icon was always quick to point out that Paul and Clara were the only parents he ever knew. He joined the family of Jongintaba Dalindyebo, a leader of the Thembu tribe who lived in the South African village of Mvezo. The actress adopted … 12 Shares View On One Page ADVERTISEMENT () Start Slideshow . The path to finding one’s “people” can be a journey in and of itself. Kristen was adopted when she was five days old by Jerry and Junie Chenoweth of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, which is a suburb of Tulsa. Hill’s biological parents went on to marry and have another child after she was given up for adoption. It’s a dynamic full of ups, downs, triumphs, and struggles. Adopted at 7 months by … He was adopted when he was five weeks old by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, a white couple who had lost two other sons to birth defects.The Kaepernicks were not eligible to adopt a white baby from a private adoption agency, so when they learned that a biracial … Athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick was born to a white mother and an African-American father who split up before he was born. Six months later, they got a call saying they had been matched with a baby boy and adopted their son, Andrew. The Little House on the Prairie star would eventually learn that her biological parents had come from previous marriages, each with three children of their own, and were concerned they could not financially support another, according to Biography. 20th Century Fox Film via Everett Collection. My grandmother? I never had this empty place in me thinking that I’ve missed out somewhere, or that I was abandoned.” Later in life, McLachlan did meet her biological mother, an artist, who gave birth to her at the age of 19. 19. '” This is how one mother helped her adopted son find his “missing piece.”. Though he never met his birth parents, he did meet a biological sister, Mona Simpson, when he was 27. If you’ve ever seen the interactions between Nicole Richie and her dad Lionel Richie on her reality show Candidly Nicole, they are like two peas in a pod. 2 of 8 Rajesh Khanna: Fondly remembered as Kaka, the superstar of Indian cinema Rajesh Khanna was an adopted child. The “Hello” singer adopted Nicole at a young age, when he noticed her biological parents, who weren’t getting along particularly well at the time, were seemingly struggle to care for the little girl. Katherine Heigl. He was adopted at just six weeks old. Musician Liz Phair has been very vocal about being adopted, applauding the way her parents relayed the information to herself and her brother, also adopted. A prolific songwriter and beloved musician, John Lennon had a lot of life experience to draw from at an early age. “And even then it wasn’t a big deal. “We want people to know that we are very proud of our son and admire his strength and courage in kneeling for the rights of others.” These 11 strange things have been banned in sports. It does not matter where you come from as long as you reach where you want to. Celebrities and Famous. The reason I decided to make… "Together we're just this whole, happy, joyful, chaotic, crazy unit. “I think I was about nine,” she tells Parents. Getty Images. And that, now that, was a different story. Although not biologically theirs, the Perry’s raised Hill like their own together with their two biological sons in Star, 25 minutes away from Jackson. “As his parents, it pains us to read articles and tweets saying that his family does not support him; this could not be further from the truth,” Teresa and Rick said jointly. She told People, "Our family is so perfect, or at least perfect for me," she says. She adopted two daughters, Naleigh and Adalaide from South Korea and the US respectively. Famous People Who Were Adopted, From Nicole Richie to Simone Biles. This is the one quality Steve Jobs always looked for in employees. Cyrus the Great, Persian emperor, orphaned in childhood Esther, Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus Moses, religious leader, given up as an infant Sargon of Akkad, ruler of the Semitic-speaking Akkadian Empire Diane Keaton. These 15 stories prove that it’s never too late to change your life. Thanks to his innovations, Jobs became a multimillionaire by the age of 30. The McDormands adopted two other children as well and moved around the country frequently to help reinvigorate congregations that needed assistance.