Famous and natural families

What compels a family, couple or individual to consider adoption for themselves is as individual as they are. Take away the layers of reasons and it is apparent that the decision to adopt is no more noble or saintly than the decision to conceive and give birth to a child that one intends to raise and parent. Whether it is by physical birth or adoption creating or adding to one's family is just as emotional, exciting, scary, spiritual and wonderful as the other.

For some adoptive families, the language used to with adoption can be somewhat bothersome. Children by birth are often referred to as one's "real" or "natural" children while those in a family by adoption are sometimes referred to as a family's "adopted" child. Yet to the family, both are considered to be "naturally" their children. Whether they are a member of the family through their parent's giving birth or through adoption most certainly is not the most interesting thing about them, or their parents. They are just, naturally, a family. Adoption is a way to build a family just as birth is. Both are important, but one is not more important than the other.

With that thought in mind and in celebration of November being National Adoption Awareness Month, here is a short list of famous and noted people who have been touched by adoption as adopted children or adoptive parents. These are celebrities, people, people in the news or historical figures who do not or have not purposely broadcast their adoption connections. Adoption was/is a natural part of their collective lives yet it is not necessarily a well-known fact about them or their families.

Famous Adopted People

• Dan O'Brien- Olympic decathalete
• Deborah Harry- lead singer of Blondie
• Jesse jackson- Civil Rights activist
• John Lennon- musicianr
• Larry Ellison- CEO of Oracle
• Nelson Mandela- former president of South Africa
• Ray Liotta- actor
• Steve Jobs- co-founder of Apple
• Sarah McLachlan- musician
• Scott Hamilton- Olympic & professional figure skater

Famous Adoptive Parents

• Al Roker- Today Show weatherman/personality
• Bob Hope- comedian, actor
• Dan Marino- Football Hall of Fame quarterback
• George Lucas- film director
• Hugh Jackman- actor
• Jane Fonda- actor
• John Denver- musician
• John G. Roberts- Supreme Court justice
• Willie Mays- Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder
• Senator John McCain- politician

Famous Birth Parents

• Andy Kaufman- actor
• David Crosby- singer
• Kate Mulgrew- actress
• Joni Mitchell- musician
• Rex Harrison- actor
• Roseanne Barr- actor

More famous people touched by adoption can be found at adoptionopen.com. For local adoption resources in Modesto and Stanislaus County contact Stanislaus County Community Services Agency or Bethany Christain Services- Modesto.