It was a surprise like no other – a son reuniting with the mother who made the difficult decision to put him up for adoption. Stacey Faix was just 15 when she found out she was pregnant and knew that adoption was the best choice for her baby. She never had the chance to hold him in her arms. However, due to a flood that destroyed the adoption records, it was a challenge for her son to find her.
Then, in November 2017, a new law came into effect that changed everything. This law allowed adoptees to access their birth certificates, which included the names of their birth parents. Stacey had no idea that her biological son, Stephen Strawn, had been tirelessly searching for her. He submitted his information to an agency, and one month later, he received his birth certificate.
The following year, Stephen surprised his mom at the Pittsburgh Half Marathon, where she was participating as part of Team Red, White, and Blue, a social organization that supports veterans. Just before the marathon, Stacey received a letter that said: “It’s been 13,075 days since you last saw me. I didn’t want to make you wait any longer.”
As she turned around, Stacey discovered her son, now 35 years old, standing there, ready to give her the embrace she had longed for since his birth.
Stephen had found Stacey on Facebook in April and decided to surprise her at the marathon. He recalled their initial contact on social media, saying: “It was such a relief. I messaged her and asked a really strange question.”
He continued: “I asked her, ‘Did you put a baby boy up for adoption in 1982?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ I then said, ‘I believe you might be my biological mom.’”
Stephen shared with Inside Edition: “I became emotional and teary-eyed. As we hugged, she told me, ‘I never had the chance to hold you,’ and that broke my heart. It was a closed adoption, and she was advised not to hold me.”
Stephen added: “We must have hugged at least 10 times. After each hug, we would look at each other and then embrace again. It felt so surreal that it was finally happening because everything unfolded so quickly.”
Mother and son went on to run the marathon together, and Stephen said, “The race was amazing. We finished in 2 hours and 50 minutes, but it was never about the speed.”
This heartfelt story touched the hearts of many on social media. One person commented, “Every child deserves the right to know their parents, even if the parents feel they can’t keep the baby. The law should protect the most vulnerable among us – in this case, the baby.”
Another shared their own personal story, saying, “I was adopted at the age of six and didn’t find my biological mom and siblings until I was 30! I am the youngest of 15 siblings! What an incredible reunion that was!”
