Sharon Crickmar was raised in Binghamton, New York, alongside her parents and brother.
Crickmar shared, “They sat both of us down and waited until I was a little older before they told him.”
Crickmar discovered that she and her brother were adopted from two different families.
Crickmar expressed curiosity about the existence of extraterrestrial life and whether or not humanity would ever discover it. He and his colleague pondered these questions, wondering if we were alone in the vastness of the universe.
Sharon remained determined and unwavering in the face of the challenges presented by a closed adoption system in New York. Despite encountering numerous roadblocks, she never lost hope.
Despite the challenge of sealed adoptions in New York during the 70s, she remained determined.
She was eager to delve into her genetic history, so she decided to register for 23andMe. Little did she know, a life-changing surprise was awaiting her on November 30, 2023.
Crickmar couldn’t believe it when she received the results that showed she had a match with her biological mother. “I was so shocked that I almost fell on the floor,” she exclaimed.
Just a few days ago, Shirley Bendeck, who resides in Lubbock, Texas, was filled with uncertainty about whether the child she had given up for adoption would ever be able to locate her.
“My husband and I were engrossed in a movie a couple of days ago. It revolved around a girl who embarks on a journey to find her birth mother. After the movie ended, my husband posed an intriguing question: ‘Do you think she will ever find you?’ It struck a chord with me, as I had signed papers preventing me from searching for her,” shared Bendeck.
After receiving the notification from 23andMe, Sharon wasted no time in checking out the profile of the woman the site claimed was her birth mother. To her surprise, the resemblance was uncanny. “She looked exactly like me. I couldn’t believe it,” exclaimed Bendeck. Even her husband was taken aback, remarking how eerie the similarity was.
She made up her mind to send her a message.
Bendeck recalled receiving a message from her on my phone as she was walking into the house from the garage on November 30th.
Crickmar was taken aback when he received the news. “I exclaimed, ‘Oh my gosh!’ and he asked me what happened. I replied, ‘I think she found me.’ He then asked, ‘Who?’ and I answered, ‘My daughter,'” recounted Crickmar.
The first phone call was a deeply emotional moment, representing the culmination of years of longing and hope. It served as an answered prayer for both Sharon and Shirley.
“We talked for a good four hours, and it was truly amazing,” Sharon reminisced, her voice filled with the same sense of wonder and joy she experienced on that day.
Sharon’s family instantly expanded.
“I grew up with a small family, and unfortunately, many of my relatives have passed away,” she revealed, her voice filled with happiness as she spoke about her recent discoveries. “However, I do have siblings, cousins, and other family members who are still part of my life.”
Sharon swiftly acquired answers to numerous inquiries.
Bendeck recalls being a young woman of 18 when she found out she was pregnant. She vividly remembers turning 19 just as she was about to give birth.
After joining the Army Reserves and serving on active duty, Shirley’s path led her to meet her husband, with whom she has been happily married for 46 years. Their wedding took place a year after they met, and three years after giving Sharon up for adoption, they welcomed their first child. Presently, they are proud parents of two daughters and have also lovingly adopted two sons.
“I have a husband who also supported me, and he knew before we even married, and he has always been by my side,” said Bendeck.
According to Bendeck, she was somewhat tricked into the situation as her other two daughters had conspired to locate their half-sister.
In a heartwarming turn of events, Shirley and Sharon were able to reunite in March of this year. After a long and arduous 49-year wait, their reunion can only be described as a Christmas miracle.
“It’s a true blessing. I never thought I would have a wonderful family like this,” said Sharon.
“It was just amazing. It was an answer to prayer,” said Bendeck.
A 23andMe spokesperson says, “With genetic testing readily available to consumers, we increasingly hear stories of families discovering and reuniting with newfound relatives. Although 23andMe was not designed specifically to help people confirm parentage or find biological parents, our DNA Relatives tool does help people discover and connect with participating genetic relatives. This feature is completely optional, meaning customers must actively choose to participate and be informed upfront that by using the tool, they may discover unexpected relationships.”