The Catalyst of My Media Frenzy
06/05/2005 04:09 a.m.

So below I've pasted the thank you letter I wrote to commend the nice librarians who helped me find my biological family...

Kathleen Huston, City Librarian
Milwaukee Public Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53233

Dear Kathleen:
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to two of your employees who helped me on the phone last Thursday. Please acknowledge Brian at the Periodicals desk and – I regret I cannot recall her name--a pleasant lady in the Humanities department for how they helped. In my quest to find my biological sister and family, these two individuals went above and beyond to help me. I called to simply ask where I could go to gain access to relevant archives/microfiche since I am in Arizona. Little did I know that within 24hrs my life would change.
At the time my birth mother gave me up for adoption in 1971, she had an 11 year old daughter. Based on research I obtained 3 years ago from the state Adoption Research Program, I new of her existence and several other details. Most of the information I have is non-identifying social, biological, and medical records from the caseworkers. In order for me to obtain access to my mother’s death certificate and my impounded birth certificate, it would require me to fly to Milwaukee and petition the Circuit Court. Once granted permission from a judge, I would need to file with the adoption agency to uncover the data and then go back to the Register of Deeds. While these channels would probably produce results, it would a hardship as I live in Scottsdale, AZ.

The only information I gave your staff was this: Since my original birth name was Soule Jacobs Bourgeau, I presumed my mother’s last name to be my middle or last name as well. I knew she died in Milwaukee in 1990 of lymphoma and she was born in 1937. I knew I had an older sister and that my mother had two brothers and one sister. My mother came from German and Italian stock and my father from French. Not a lot to work with, yet your staff was kind, professional, and evidently determined to help me. Within an hour they had come up with a Betty Bourgeou (nee Schulhof), DOB 12.30.37, died 02.04.90. Amongst relatives listed in the death notice was her brothers Carl and Bernard Schulhof, sister Lorraine Jahnz, and daughter Barbara Ross. Barbara is my sister with whom I have since been reunited. I had a friend obtain the death certificate and armed with that information and a phone book, I found Lorraine who put me in contact with my sister. As shocked as my dear sister was by my call last Friday, Barbara welcomed me with open arms. I plan to visit Milwaukee soon to give her a hug 33yrs overdue.
My sister is an amazing, dynamic human being! Given she thought Mom miscarried me, she is eager to catch up on lost time. As for my emotions, I have felt euphoric and whole in a way I never thought I would. The best way I can explain my sentiments is with this metaphor: I feel as though I have been given back an arm I had amputated 33yrs ago. Living with the knowledge that my sister was out there and feeling it was likely we would never meet was tough. Regardless of how well loved and protected a child is raised, adoption made a significant impact on the way I developed and the man I came to be. There is an intangible sorrow that hangs over you, regardless how rich and exciting your life is. Somewhere I’ve read that an amputee senses ‘phantom’ tinges in their non-existent arms -- that is how I have felt deep in my soul all my life. An adoptee, in some sense, is an amputee. Last Friday beyond all odds I was reattached to that arm with the help of your staff. Please express my thanks to them both! Make them stand on their respective desks and take a well earned bow. I will never forget what they have done and how they affected a stranger’s life – My Life! -- with their research. You both did a wonderful and genuinely compassionate thing on Friday. Thank you so much! God Bless you in all you do!
Sincerely,

Stephen J. Leger

p.s. Oh, btw – once my story has sunk in, ponder this: Friday was Feb 4th, 2005. –- 15 yrs to the day since our Mom passed away. If that’s coincidence, I’ll eat my shorts.


I am currently Exhausted
I am listening to Hanging On A Curtain - Morphine