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I Knew You Were There: A Stolen Child’s Search for Her Irish Mother
Out-of-wedlock pregnancy was a mortal sin in 1950s Ireland, where unwed pregnant girls were confined to notorious mother-baby homes.
There, nuns forced the girls to work fourteen-hour days and denied them medication to ease the pain of childbirth. When the babies were born, their mothers returned to working in hopes to take their children home, but the cruel church and Irish government sold the infants to wealthy American and European families.
Marie O’Leary Wydra was one of those children. Adopted into her own hellish nightmare at age two, she never gave up hope that one day she would meet her birth mother again. Decades later, with her daughter Megan at her side, Marie set out to find her Irish mother.
I Knew You Were There is the story of two one who always longed to meet her mother, and the other whose love for her mother and Ireland sends them on a journey they never dreamed of.
There, nuns forced the girls to work fourteen-hour days and denied them medication to ease the pain of childbirth. When the babies were born, their mothers returned to working in hopes to take their children home, but the cruel church and Irish government sold the infants to wealthy American and European families.
Marie O’Leary Wydra was one of those children. Adopted into her own hellish nightmare at age two, she never gave up hope that one day she would meet her birth mother again. Decades later, with her daughter Megan at her side, Marie set out to find her Irish mother.
I Knew You Were There is the story of two one who always longed to meet her mother, and the other whose love for her mother and Ireland sends them on a journey they never dreamed of.
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2022
18 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 18, 2024
This was a quick read and had a lot of ties to my hometown. It was fun to read that a portion of the proceeds from the book benefit Providence House in Cleveland, an organization I have also supported for years. It’s a lovely journey.
May 9, 2024
A Very Heartwarming True Story
Marie and Megan have done a wonderful job of telling Marie's story. The only thing I don't "like" is her adoptive "mother" and the fact that the so called Mother and Baby homes were so cruel to the young women. But thankfully Marie was able to rise above a terrible childhood to become a kind, loving mother herself and to dream of someday finding her real mother. It warms my heart to know that she had so many "angels" helping her to find her mom and other family members and to know that she was immediately loved and accepted. That is not always the case. I'm so thankful that today there is such a thing as open adoption that can give a child a more secure start in life. It may not always be perfect but it's so much more loving than how it was done in the past.
Marie and Megan have done a wonderful job of telling Marie's story. The only thing I don't "like" is her adoptive "mother" and the fact that the so called Mother and Baby homes were so cruel to the young women. But thankfully Marie was able to rise above a terrible childhood to become a kind, loving mother herself and to dream of someday finding her real mother. It warms my heart to know that she had so many "angels" helping her to find her mom and other family members and to know that she was immediately loved and accepted. That is not always the case. I'm so thankful that today there is such a thing as open adoption that can give a child a more secure start in life. It may not always be perfect but it's so much more loving than how it was done in the past.
November 19, 2023
I have read a few books recently of the horrible issue of the Magdalene Laundry in Ireland. How this continued to happen for so long is a travesty. This is the story of one such woman whose baby was taken away from her and sent to live in the U.S. with an abusive adoptive mother. After enduring this abuse growing up, becoming a nurse, getting married and starting her own family, she and one of her daughters decided to try to find her birth mother. With the help of much research and the help of many people, it has a happy ending!
September 1, 2023
Beautiful
Beautiful. Story, I am a birth mother, my son.was.adopted by amazing parents. This story reaches my heart . I.have reunited with my son for twenty years. Having a great relationship. Many tears reading this book. Thank you for sharing your story! There are angels everywhere!
Beautiful. Story, I am a birth mother, my son.was.adopted by amazing parents. This story reaches my heart . I.have reunited with my son for twenty years. Having a great relationship. Many tears reading this book. Thank you for sharing your story! There are angels everywhere!
May 28, 2023
Heart-warming true story
The mother and daughter team co-wrote this book about their lives and the reunion with the mother and grandmother respectively. It begins with intense suffering but the last pages are full of miracles and angels.
The mother and daughter team co-wrote this book about their lives and the reunion with the mother and grandmother respectively. It begins with intense suffering but the last pages are full of miracles and angels.
September 10, 2022
Made me cry.
September 13, 2022
Quick read. Very emotional story.
September 21, 2022
Wow talk about heart wrenching!! Marie’s Story is one full of heartache, perseverance and unconditional love.
June 4, 2023
An inspiring triumph!
I am so happy to have read this story! Thank you Marie and Megan for sharing! God is so good!
I am so happy to have read this story! Thank you Marie and Megan for sharing! God is so good!
August 29, 2023
love this book
So heartwarming! Shows the strength of the human heart to overcome horrible abuse. God bless Marie and her daughter, Megan. What a beautiful story.
So heartwarming! Shows the strength of the human heart to overcome horrible abuse. God bless Marie and her daughter, Megan. What a beautiful story.
October 2, 2024
In Ireland, many pregnant but single girls entered St. Patrick's Mother and Baby Home. Then, two years later they were sold. This is the story of Marie's search for her birth mom.
October 3, 2022
WOW just WOW.... A must read for everyone!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews