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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1996-09-11, Page 12Happy together Robert and Lucy Hesse of Brussels travelled to Ohio recently where Lucy was reunited with her son Jamie, whom she had given up for adoption 25 years ago. Jamie and his wife Debra are planning a visit to Brussels during the Christmas holidays. (0 WEST WAWANOSH MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY "Vighbour helping Neighbour Since 1879" YOUR LOCAL AGENTS Frank Foran, Lucknow 528-3824 Lyons & Muihern, Goderich 524-2664 Donald R. Simpson, Ripley 395-5362 Delmar Sproul, Auburn 529-7273 Clinton 482-3434 Chapman-Graham & Assoc. Owen Sound 376-1774 Miller Insurance Kincardine 396-3465 Georgian Bay insurance Brokers Owen Sound 376-4049 P.A. Roy Insurance Broker Inc. 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York and more r 1 ENTRY FORM: Please complete and drop in draw box. NAME ADDRESS PHONE NUMBER FIESTA LEBRATI New Models * New Exhibits * Manufacturers' Re * Refreshments Ps- PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1996 Mother, son find each other after 25 years apart By Bonnie Gropp Doing what's best for our chil- dren isn't always easy, particularly if it means removing them from our lives. After deciding over 25 years ago to give up her son for adoption, a Brussels woman was able to see that the choice had been the right one, when the two were recently reunited. Lucy Hesse grew up in foster homes as a ward of the court until she turned 21 in 1966. "I moved out immediately and shortly there- after became pregnant. Unmarried, she moved in with her brother in Toronto. Her son, Jamie was born on Dec. 2. "He was the best baby. He never cried. You never knew he was in the house. God compensates in dif- ferent ways." When Jamie turned two, Lucy's concerns, which began after she had been involved in a car accident while pregnant, were re-inforced. "He wasn't walking, yet, so I finally "I didn't want him to be shuffled around from one home to another like I was, " said Hesse, explaining why she didn't just place Jamie in foster care until she was better equipped to raise him herself. "It never bothered me except on birth- days and at Christmas because I treated it with the attitude that I did what was best for him." In time, Hesse moved on with her life. She married Robert Hesse and five years ago they moved to Brus- sels from Kitchener. Then this past July, during a conversation with ' Robert's ex-wife, Laura brought up an interesting question. "(She) asked me if I ever thought about seeing Jamie. I said 'I'd love to but I didn't want to upset the apple cart.'" In one of life's curious twists Laura, who had moved to Milver- ton from Sarnia, had become acquainted with Jamie's family through church. She contacted them and told them about Lucy, who was called by the Children's Aid Society the following week. Lucy then spoke with his parents, who told her Jamie now lived in Minerva, Ohio with his wife of five years, Debra. Lucy's first phone call there resulted in a two hour conversation with Debra, whom she asked to pick the time to tell Jamie about the call. "I thought he might hate me because for a long time I had resented my mom for (placing me in foster care)" "He phoned me that night. We laughed, we cried. The first thing he said was, 'Hi, Mom. I love you.— Arrangements were made at the time for Robert and Lucy to visit her son and daughter-in-law. "It was the longest three weeks of my life," said Hesse. "We lived on the phone." The wait came to an end on Aug. 21, when Lucy embraced her son for the first time in close to three decades. Hesse said both her hus- band and Debra were glad to see the reunion finally happen. "Bob said there were times when I was pretty miserable, something Debra said was true of Jamie too. It is so good to see that he has become such a happy healthy man. He had wonderful parents. The love they feel for him is evident. It makes it easier knowing I did the right thing for him." got the doctor to listen." Her son was tested at London's Children's Psychiatric and Research Institute where, after numerous tests it was decided that the devel- opment of Jamie's brain had been stalled, presumably at the time of the accident. "I was told he should be in a home with two parents and older siblings to give him the stimulation he would need for the best start in his life." Hesse, now in a troubled mar- riage, had a second child by this time. "My husband chose alcohol over marriage. We were in the mid- dle of a messy divorce and I knew I couldn't give Jamie that opportuni- ty." When he was four years old she made the decision to give him up for adoption. "It was pretty hard, but I just couldn't handle him." Though he was walking, Jamie sel- dom talked. He required a lot of attention and was extremely aggressive, Hesse said.