“Hola, Mijo”
Kevin was born in Escuintla, Guatemala to Blanca Amelia Martinez Hernandez and at just two weeks old was put up for adoption. His mother felt that he would have a better life if in the United States, a better life than she could provide for him. After being shuffled through foster families, he was finally adopted by Ray and Heidi Schmidt who resided in Clark, New Jersey. However, Kevin’s adoptive mother Heidi died suddenly when Kevin was just six months old. Four years later, his father remarried to Tina Schmidt who has raised Kevin ever since.
Being adopted was never kept as a secret from Kevin. He always knew, and he was always comfortable with it. However, he had always wanted to know more about his birth mother. His adoption is a semi-open one, meaning that his parents were provided with a name, photo, address and a few familial facts of his birth mother. At the age of 18 he began his quest to find out more and to find the woman who had given him life.
After over a year of dead ends, he met a friend named Ruby through school at LIM College. Ruby was essentially the key Kevin would use to find his mother. With the help of Ruby’s father, Kevin was reunited with his mother on July 27, 2014 at her home in Escuintla. The moment was beautiful, full of anticipation and flooded with love and emotion.
Kevin spent two days with his mother, during which he was introduced to his two brothers and many more family members who live close by. The family spent their time sharing information, stories and facts about each other. They had a few authentic meals and explored the city of Antigua, Guatemala.
Upon leaving, Kevin promised he would return to see his family again one day. As of now, he’s unsure whether this will be possible but hopes it to be true. He says maybe one day they might even be able to join him in the States. He keeps contact with his two brothers through Facebook, staying up to date with the lives of the members of his birth family.
Kevin’s story is proof that it is possible to go back to your roots with the right motivation. He hopes that his story will inspire others who were adopted to take the steps or continue the not-so-easy quest to find their adoptive families.
Kevin recalls a happy memory he had with his mother while in Guatemala. This moment truly reinforced their mother-son relationship.
