Kolkata Adoption: Unraveling Family Secrets | Nurture |Real Families 

I feel so much for the older lady, especially when she said if she did her search 10 years earlier she could've been able to help her mum. Only to find out later on in the documentary about the quality of her mum's life and the state of her burial grave, and the situation with her father's grave. I can't imagine the pain.

A special word of acknowledgement for Vijay ji who has taken so much effort at that age to help her. Truly genuine spirit of love he has

Respect to their adoptive parents… they gave them a better future !

They were Lucky to have such a wonderful adoptive parents who did not hide the true facts about their adoption and birth country. I wish them good luck always in their lives. We are so lucky to be with parents always and pray that there will be on orphans in this world in the future ...! This thing really hurts.

I am an Indian. I just watched it. Baffled by the whole thing, the tyranny of life.Pain in my heart and tears in my eyes.

Teri darling, feeling all the same emotions as you just watching this but love you need to understand you can't afford to be angry at how your parents were laid to rest. That is how the way of the world is in India especially for those less fortunate. You are a strong woman and you continue to live the life your mother would have wanted for you ❤️ take care

What an emotional roller coaster... I wasn't adopted, but I also didn't get to meet my mother before she died. I wasn't expecting to get so torn up watching this.

When she gave birth to you, proves that she loved you and wanted to give birth. The pain a mother tolerate to give birth prove her love..A mother is as good as the creator of universe as she create a life by tolerating so much of pain..My heartiest respect to all the mothers of the universe..🙏

I wish anyone who finds themselves in this situation peace, love, and happiness, whether they ever find the missing pieces or not. It cant be an easy feeling to have. They are all blessings.

I can't imagine what adopted children go through growing up ...... such a heart breaking video .....

To Teri, I don't know you personally but I feel your pain like we were blood related. Take courage knowing that your mom and dad are in a better place. Am very glad that you finally got in contact with your sisters. I do hope that you find much comfort and consolation in the process.

My heart breaks for Teri. U finally build the courage to find your birth parent and you come to know her last days were so heartbreaking .. 💔 dying alone with no one to take care of her . 💔 super sad

I’m happy for Teri to meet her sisters 😄. And the other lovely girl just needs to believe whatever gives her heart comfort 🦋🦋🦋🦋

I took a DNA test on MyHeritage and I found out many of my family connections around the world .As my parents immigrated after the WW2 from Hungary to Brasil I didn’t know most of my families! Maybe having this DNA she can find about grand parents and some family! I wish luck and pray for the girl that don’t know who her mother is 🙏

Both stories are truly saddening and must have been emotionally damaging for both women. For Terry to find out her parents have been dead for years and buried in unmarked graves was heartbreaking to watch. And for Leila woman to find out everything she’s known all her life was a complete lie and not get any answers must have been traumatic and confusing for her. I truly feel for both of them!

The Couples who adopted them are AMAZING PEOPLE.. straight wonder gift of God.. God blessed 💯❤

I wish I had adoptive parents, that loved me. 😢You both are extremely lucky to be adopted.!❤

I can feel the pain when she said " if she've made a trip 10yrs earlier she could have met her birth mother" 😥💔

All those babies, all those precious angel's ❤️

My heart really goes out to them ………these women were lucky to have been adopted but I can understand thier need to know where they came from.

I cried my eyes out, made me think of the story of Moses, selfless mother giving her child with the hope of a better life.

In many countries when families no longer pay for the loved ones burial plot they are removed and another is given the space. It is more like renting the space. I was shocked when I first learned of this.

At the end when Terri say I actually have a family now I have mother, I have sisters is heartbreaking for me as the adoptive parents doing all for her and because of them she is what she is and she doesn't even say that I now have both of my families(biological and adoptive). She doesn't even consider them parents ie mother and father. Feel so sad for adoptive parents as they do everything, may be even more then the real parents would do as they hold a greater responsibility for raising a child but in the end they are sidelined I guess, that what this case seems like at least.

I salut all the adoptive parents who selflessly and lovingly open their arms, their heart and their homes to the parentless babies everywhere . Love is the most important component in life . Thank you .

This is a heartbreaking for mothers to give up their children because of poverty n other reasons. But im glad the grown up children are trying to find their roots. Bless them.

I feel sooooo sorry for people that are adopted. She can’t be angry at other countries way of life or lack of leadership.

Huge respect to the adoptive parents and IMH for providing the children a better life

Bringing up children is not that easy. Be it birth parents or adoptive parents. May God bless all those parents.

A very sad true story because it was even more dramatic when she visited India and realized her mother was not alive. People who knew her mother would not talk to her because she was the daughter of a single mother. I hope those sisters are her true sisters and she can find some kind great sisters.

Mom are like candle 🕯️ they give light by burning self... What mom does is always great.. ❤️

I can understand her pain. But even adopted parents grow their children by sweating their blood to feed and give better future to them.

I adopted my daughter from IMH in Calcutta (now named Kolkata)1985. IMH and their partner US adoption agencies provided extensive information about the overall situation in Calcutta and the particular situations that led to the abandonment of the babies. There were also organizations of parents who’d adopted IMH babies which provided information. Throughout my daughter’s childhood I explained this information to her. It’s unfortunate that many adoptive families try to protect their child by not being candid about the distressing circumstances of their birth situation. Interestingly my daughter had had DNA testing done and discovered that she has numerous distant relatives in the USA. Clearly some branches of her family were at least middle class. Also she learned that her ancestry is half Bengali and half Tamil or other Southern India. Perhaps the story of a domestic servant and a wealthier employer is a not uncommon situation.

Dear Layla.... Was really touched to hear your journey here... Pls don't lose hope. Praying and Wishing that you find your real family soon ... God Bless.. With Love n Regards from Mumbai India 💐🌷🙏🏻🙏🏻

The house she went they was not nice to her telling they don’t know her mom look at her mom pictures the background looks like the same balcony her mom take the picture much love and respect to you all😍

I feel so sorry for this lady, my heart goes out for her. Imagine she goes out searching for her family and her dad, mum and brother passed away. I hope and pray that one day she will find her sisters.

Hi Terry, it was very emotional, tears rolled my eyes watching your story, finally you've got some answers to your search. It's fulfilling at least you could trace your sisters. I wish you, peace.

18:53 Imagine the roller coaster ride of emotions building up inside her! Such a strong woman.

To the lady who closed the show by saying : it was life changing . I have a family now …. You always had a family - you always had parents .

Dear layla please don't be disheartened and take solace in the fact that u have a wonderful family and friends back in London. ❤️❤️❤️

After so many lies and dissapointments I can't help but wonder if those are really Terry's sisters or not. Really hope they are.🙏🙏

This has happened to some people even in America! In the 1920-50's there was any orphanage ran by Georgia Tan in Tennessee Children's Home Society. She stole or bought many as 5,000 babies and they were sold.

My aunt adopted a little 1day old baby . When she born her biological mom died. Then her father told doctors that he can't take care of her so he asked for adoption. As my aunt was registered with that hospital. So doctor called her then she adopt that baby. Rising her like a princess.

I guess u just accept that the parents that took you in are now your parents and are real heroes for taking u in, accepting you as family and bringing you up as their own. Instead of looking for you previous parents it’s advisable to just pray for them. 👨‍👩‍👧

These two women are incredibly naive .... at best.

It's very emotional to watch the journey of these women as they try to connect to their past. I kept finding myself wondering, though, about what appeared to be inconsistencies with the supposed photo of the woman's mother. I admit that my understanding of the Indian culture is limited, but this was supposed to be an unwed mother, and yet it appeared that she was wearing the bindi, which I understood to be associated with a married woman. Perhaps I am totally uneducated about this tradition, but it raised red flags for me from the very beginning of the story.

Adoptee crying at the cemetery has lived a sheltered life and doesn't understand the concept of poverty. People who have not traveled, don't read, don't read the newspaper do not understand the depth of poverty that can exist. I hope she has come to fully realize how fortunate she is.

I'm in the US and my dad's father, grandfather and a few more relatives are buried the same way as Terry's. ..all on top of one another in an unmarked grave. My dad met his father once when he was 14. His father abandoned his wife and son. I found his death certificate at the Hall of records. He died of syphilis in 1934. He was 31.

Oh My word, I am so happy for Terry finding her siblings ( A Big Blessing)🙏🏾. I know after posting my last comment about 55 ex mins to get the findings, I am jumping for joy. Praise the Lord.

Please know your mom loved you enough to give you a better life than she could give

Praise God for the adoptive parents who raised you, the country you were blessed to be raised in. I wouldn’t have much hope in a facility that was associated with Mother Theresa. Things are not what they seem. Sad but true.

As a woman who gave up a baby in her teens, please know, MOST of us birth mothers, cry buckets, even years later, and wouldn't have given up our children if we didn't think staying with us would have resulted in bad conditions, for the child, I was so young that I would be stuck in the bad circumstance for several more years. We give them up because we love them. After, if the pregnancy is known, we suffer all kinds of abuse, in my case it led to 2 suicide attempts, despite being absolutely certain I did the right thing for the baby. Despite being certain, from time to time worry would creep in, what if it wasn't the best choice? Sometimes I was tormented by that thought. I'm happy to say I was reuinted with mine in his 30's and he had a great life! Now he's happily married and has wonderful kids. I cried more buckets when we met, it was such a relief to cry happy tears. My biggest regret abouit the adoption is not understanding that he might have wanted contact, even if his life was good. I would have looked years earlier if I'd understood more.

I feel deep compassion for the girls. They've been through a lot. However they must appreciate their adoptive parents. Don't disregard the unconditional love. Terry was very hurt and angry at times, which is understood. It would soften her heart to see that her adoptive parents are there. Count your blessings.

The biological parents made a decision long time back. Now you have a good life . Respect and love your adoptive parents as much as you can in this life. Don’t show their photos and share their sad stories online. They chose to be anonymous for a reason .

I’m so sad that you were not able to see your mom alive and do your father. I know they are happy for you. God bless🙏🏻❤️

I did not expect to be moved so deeply by these beautiful courageous women

When this documentary is entirely from the pov of the children, it's easy to get carried away and forget that their birth mothers also have a right to anonymity. Those who think that the Hope foundation fudging the documents was with nefarious intentions, should think about the time and culture where they worked and what their actual purpose was. In that context they did what was the best solution for both the mother and the child. Had they insisted that the mother's be photographed, those women might not even have approached them, worst case senario these kids might have gotten abandoned on the streets instead. Had they been completely honest about the birth mother's intention for anonymity, these kids wouldn't have gotten adopted. Their purpose was to protect the mothers and get these kids homed...and they did what was needed for it, no matter how improper or unfair it may seem now. Those mothers probably thought that getting those kids a safe future was much more important than letting them have all the answers for all their questions to trace their way back to their mothers

Good to hear that she found her sisters, will like to see them too if she visits them again

The 42 year old woman seems to be harboring a lot of anger and bitterness which she really needs to sort out. Life's not particularly rosy even for those who know their birth parents. As one gets older one realizes that what matters is that one received some love from people who were willing to love us, whether those people are adoptive parents, aunties, uncles, friends etc.

The bright side is they were adopted by good people...Thank God...imagine if they grew up in India....Terry's mom a brave woman and changed Terry's life

Sometimes learning other people story brings peace to your story I lost my mom she was 42 when she died and my lost my dad but I still am able to know what they look like but they sound like what they feel🙂 like and that's a blessing to me💯😫🙏

My heart breaks for these people searching for their parents their siblings in the circumstances of how they were born but the good side to all of this is that they chose life for these children and as you see these women have grown up to be beautiful women

That's a shame, nomatter the outcome an adopted person needs that closure. They need to know their background.

Really sad but that's the reality in India. I felt bad for the lady who was upset about her father and mother not having a tombstone but that's the situation in India. There is so much poverty. You cant hold on. And the second story was very devastating. I hope she comes back without the cameras because there will be people who will reveal things if approached quietly. She will be able to find her real mother I am sure of it

Not that they don't love their adoptive parents but every child/person wants to to know who they really are and about their parents, their history. If we were in that position we will feel the same. The fact that they have been given up by their parents really hurts. Love is powerful. Every child deserves a mom and dad, a basic need. Nobody wants to feel like an orphan and it is their right to know, once they know, they are at peace and feel complete like a big puzzle is solved and it doesn't affect their relationship with their adoptive parents. They want to know the truth about themselves, that's all.

Heart touching episode.May God bless all the adoptive children.

Terry seems like a smart woman. I hope she insists that she and her sisters take a DNA test. So easy to confirm if the right ones were found.

I really hope this woman got her answers, got her closure, will move forward, appreciating the family who adopted her.

Both stories very heart tugging. Can't imagine how painful it must have been for all the remaining adoptees. If you find someone from the can't it's rewarding. At the same it's horrible & sad if I search is not fruitful. I pray God to help all of them to overcome their emotions.

Sad sad..poor people. God bless the children. 😢🙏

After watching this it's becoming obvious that this orphanage was probably taking babies(or stealing) and selling them in adoptions. My heart goes out to these women.

I found out at 45yr old I was adopted & the man I thought was my dad who treated me terrible wasn't my dad. My mom severely abused me & didn't love me.I know my real dad now & he's wonderful.I am so glad she was told the truth & loved.

I am Indo-korean I have been living in India for almost 179 years, my great grandfather was a Buddhist monk and my great grandma was an Indian Muslim, my great grandfather passed away in 2008, he always want to meet his family for the one last time, he use to tell us story's about his family and I remember he use to cry sometimes that's hurt me so bad I had no contact, I don't know who they are, where they live, nothing!. I hope one day I will find my ancestors.

The orphanage helped her mother and helped her too by getting her a good home, now they are accused. Truly sad situation.

Those who worked for IMH should be thoroughly ashamed of this mess

If you're parents are alive you MUST honour them. If they've gone pray for them.

For Terry.....she needs to know that it is common for Catholics in Indian graveyards, space is limited and so they dig up the bones and store it in a box. The Church graveyard may have the box of his bones.

If more people do genetic tests then more will get linked up to their relatives and learn more about their heritage and also genetic disorders as well.

That middle aged lady sounded so entitled. She saw the condition of the burial grounds and that her Parent's bodies were not claimed by the family and yet she was making such a fuss about the gravestone but then she didn't pay them later either to put a gravestone on her parent's grave. She should be grateful for the fact that they were buried by the state or any organisation that took care of it.

Wow! So heart-rending. Humanity in such a mess and confusion. But then one has to remember that these adoptees were given a new life in the midst of this and the opportunity to escape that life.

I don't think it's fair to judge the women who had to give away their children. They were from a different time and there was not a lot of opportunity for women.

It is sad that there are no records. Very common and quite how things are done in India. I still don't have a birth certificate. I'm not adopted but my parents didn't think it important enough to get me a birth certificate. The hospital where I was born no longer exists.

Teri had a closure. Layla didn't. I feel so sad for her. She didn't even have the correct information to begin with. Now she has no information at all about her mom.

I feel for both of you Ladies. Wishing you both the best from here on.....

Sometimes the most unselfish thing a mother can do is know that the best possible way for your child to grow up, happy and healthy, is to give them up, it's better than making them starve and do without. I gave a baby up myself, I've also been involved in every way possible, he's going to be 20 tomorrow and he does have ill feelings towards me, but I know, as soon as his son is born, he'll understand. It's better than being raised by an addict, that was raised by an addict, plus we both have intermittent explosive disorder, along with him having ADHD, it was just best

I wonder what percentage of international adoptees wish they’d been left to grow up in the orphanage they were in, rather than being removed from their country. I’ve just seen so many of these who seem to feel like their adoption wasn’t worth it, because of how different from their family and community they looked and the ensuing feelings of isolation.

This story makes me sad. I had the same story, but I want this lady to APPRECIATE THE ADOPTIVE PARENTS GOD GAVE HER! Those are wonderful people to take and care for a child that had NOTHING!!!! Your adoptive parents are the ANGELS HERE!!!!!!

These searches made me cry 😢 so many times. I was especially saddened for the woman whose parents had both died.

Laila looked exactly like the lady in the photograph. That was definitely her Mum.

I once had a friend who was adopted from an orphanage in Kalkutta, who did not even know her Birthday.

This just breaks my heart

I have not finished watching, but I was thinking at the beginning that all the paperwork for Layla could be bogus. The woman in the photo could be a nurse or just a woman whose photo they used for every child that required paperwork to be released for adoption, and the story about a rich businessman father could also be BS.

this is so sad, I have been crying my heart out..I know what it feels like to come "too late"

Thanks to their adopted parents......they had a better life.

Fact that it was mandatory for them to give a picture. I won’t be surprised if they just gave any persons picture for the adoption to go through. It shouldn’t be this difficult to find a mother when you have a picture and a name. Everyone know the story they just choose to lie.

Oh man it's really heart wrenching! 😢

Peace and Love .. from India 🌹

I hope Leila finds peace. It must be so sad not to know much about her family.

Its so sad these women know nothing about India and under what terrible circumstances their mother would have been to give them up.....The fact that she gave birth and put them up for adoption to live a better life is a sign of true love.... After living a comfortable life they have decided to come to India to trace their parents to fill a void in their lives ....

Heart breaking very sad !regards for their adoptive parents

So heart wrenching..