When a father discovered that his baby girl was born without legs, he informed his wife that they would be unable to retain her. The heartbroken mother had no choice but to part with her child, and as she did so, she wondered if they would ever meet again.
Camelia and Dumitru Moceanu, a Romanian couple, welcomed a baby girl in 1987. Her father saw her closely and chose to give her up at the hospital since she had huge brown eyes and a cheerful smile. What was he thinking when he did that?
The little girl had been born without legs, and her father was concerned that he would be unable to afford her medical fees. He reportedly informed his wife of his decision, but she had no say in the matter and never got to cuddle her little princess.
Sharon and Gerald Bricker adopted the infant child when she was only a few months old. They fell in love with her right away because she was full of energy and had an amazing smile, according to the couple.
Jennifer Bricker was the name given to the Brickers’ daughter when they brought her home. Jennifer was born without legs after a uterine band cut off the blood flow to her lower extremities in pregnancy, according to the information they received when they adopted her from foster care.
They couldn’t stop gushing about how they had no idea who the other was despite living parallel lives.
Sharon and Gerald treated Jennifer with unending love and care, instilling in her the courage to pursue her aspirations. When she felt weak, they were her strength and motivation. Jennifer had three older brothers as well. She stated, ”
“My parents have always told me that I can do whatever I desire because they believe in me. ‘Would you like to go roller skating?’ Put the skates on your hands and start skating. We’ll devise a new strategy.'”
Jennifer knew she was adopted as a child and that her biological parents were Romanians. She observed that her adoptive parents had always been forthright about her adoption, and she was well aware that she had been given up because she lacked legs.
Jennifer used to enjoy playing ball games and gymnastics as a child. Her parents always assured her that she was the answer to their genuine prayers and pushed her to pursue her dreams. She used to enjoy watching sports on TV when she was a kid in Illinois.
During the 1996 Olympic Games, she witnessed a fellow Romanian, Dominique Moceanu, a 14-year-old girl gymnast, whom she grew to idolize over time. At the time, the gymnast was only six years her senior and appeared to be a familiar face. Jennifer recalled the following:
“I was drawn to her because we shared a similar appearance, which was really significant to me.”
Jennifer explained that she didn’t know many Romanians in the United States at the time, but she felt a connection to Dominique. She claimed she saw herself in her because they were both petite and had similar facial features. She continued, ”
“I had a feeling she was Romanian. I had a feeling I was Romanian. She had the same lively little personality like me, so I could relate to her as a kid.”
Jennifer decided she wanted to be a gymnast after Dominique and her team won a gold medal for the United States in the 1996 Olympics. Jennifer was a gymnastics champion by the age of 11 after putting in a lot of work.
Jennifer’s admiration and affection for Dominique grew, and she kept tabs on her idol on a daily basis. Dominique, at 17 years old, had obtained freedom from her parents in 1998.
She wondered if they had a connection every time she saw the gold medallist. Jennifer questioned her mother when she reached 16 if there was anything she hadn’t told her about her biological family. Sharon surprised herself by responding with a “Yes.”
Jennifer’s biological last name would have been Moceanu, according to her adoptive mother. Jennifer recalled the following:
“I immediately thought to myself, ‘Wow, it means Dominique is my sister.'”
Jennifer waited four years to contact her long-lost sister. She wrote Dominique a letter describing the situation and thanking her for inspiring her to take up gymnastics. She sent copies of all of her paperwork as well as self-portraits. Jennifer continued, ”
“I intuitively decided against telling her I didn’t have legs because I thought it would be too much.”
Dominique, on the other hand, had reached the age of 26 and was no longer competing professionally. She was married to another athlete and expecting her first child at the time. Jennifer’s letter was discovered in a parcel she had picked up from the post office on December 10, 2007.
Dominique was caught away after reading the letter, and the resemblance was remarkable when she looked at the images. She remembered:
“That letter was the most shocking thing I’ve ever received in my life, and I’ll never forget it.”
Before responding to Jennifer, she called her mother and inquired about a newborn girl she had placed for adoption in 1987.
Dominique summoned up the confidence to write back to Jennifer after welcoming her own daughter on Christmas Day, and her mother’s voice broke off as she narrated the terrible incident. In her book “Off Balance,” Dominique mentions her sister’s reaction. It said:
“I’ve wanted to talk to you since I found out we were sisters. I almost passed out when I received your letter stating that you believed me. I didn’t know how you’d react, but I knew I needed to write to you.”
In March 2008, the long-lost sisters finally met in person, and Jennifer learned she had a younger sister named Christina. The three sisters couldn’t help but admire their resemblance and promised to make up for a lost time. Jennifer stated the following:
“Every time the three of us get together, we have a blast. And I can’t believe I’m living this insane life. And when I say crazy, I mean fantastic!”
Jennifer stated she never met her original father since he died before she could meet him, but she did meet her real mother, Camelia, for the first time in January 2010, when she was 22 years old. Jennifer remembers how happy Camelia was about her accomplishments as the two women hugged.
Despite residing in different locations, the three sisters have managed to stay in touch throughout the years. They couldn’t stop gushing about how they had no idea who the other was despite living parallel lives.
Watch about her life journey here: