It was a bittersweet moment for Jimmy Lippert Thyden as he reunited with his mother after being apart for over 42 years.
That is the case with Jimmy Lippert Thyden, who claims he was always aware that he was adopted. He was also aware that he was not born in the United States but in Chile. Growing up in Virginia, he believes he never needed anything with loving and committed adoptive parents.
The 42-year-old former Marine is now an attorney, married, and the father of two small kids. That all changed in 2012 when his adoptive mother handed him his adoption papers as he prepared to deploy to Afghanistan.
Thyden claims that when he began closely scrutinizing the adoption data, he discovered numerous irregularities and contradictions.
Did you read this?
One paper stated that he had no known father or mother. Another person offered the name and address of a biological mother. A third document said that the kid had no living relatives, and a fourth stated that he was placed for adoption a few days after birth.
.jpg)
Another record stated that he was placed for adoption when he was two years old.
Thyden had been wondering about his roots for years. He wanted to learn more but didn't know where to start or who to contact in Chile.
Thyden claims that it wasn't until his wife read about Scott Lieberman's case a few months ago that he became actively involved in learning the truth about his adoption.
Thyden claims that after contacting "Nos Buscamos," he received an email the next day from its director, Constanza del Ro, telling him to phone her immediately away. She recommended a DNA test, which he took on April 17.
Thyden found a connection in weeks thanks to MyHeritage, an online genealogical service. When the match was returned, del Ro says she realized the next step was to call Mara Angélica González, 69, a mother who had believed for decades that her son had perished shortly after birth.
Del Ro claims González was told the baby's remains had been discarded. During the Pinochet dictatorship, when many were killed or vanished, asking too many questions or protesting too loudly may be deadly.
Thyden's reaction to discovering the truth has been bittersweet. He's relieved to finally know his true beginnings but saddened by what his biological mother endured.
.jpg)
