(Source) “Some people spend decades searching for their biological parents, often never succeeding in tracking them down. So when Whitney Brock found her “real” mother in just 12 hours after starting a Facebook campaign, her newfound mom had to say, “It’s like winning the lottery. Better than winning the lottery.”

22-year-old Whitney had been adopted in 1991, just after her birth. Although she had a happy upbringing with Teresa and Andy Brock, her adoptive parents, Whitney had always wondered who her biological mother was.

Said Whitney, “I was just like, I wonder what my biological family is doing right now. Do they care about me? Do they miss me?”

She took a chance on Facebook, posting a photo of herself holding a cardboard sign reading, “I’m looking for my birth mother,” followed by details like the name of the hospital and her birthday.

The image spread over rapidly over the web. Said Whitney, “So many people were sharing it, liking it, commenting on it.”

A Florida woman performed some research upon seeing the post, and responded with a list of names and phone numbers.

Whitney called the first person on the list:  “I said I know this sounds crazy, but is there any way you put a baby up for adoption in 1991? And she said,’ on February 6th?’ I said ‘yes,’ and she said ‘is this Whitney Brock?’ I said ‘yes.’ She said ‘hi Whitney. I’m your mother.’”

It turned out that Whitney’s mom, Jennifer Moorhead, was looking at Whitney’s Facebook post just as her daughter called.

A week after speaking on the phone, the pair met for the first time since Whitney’s birth at Stoll’s Amish Buffet.

“I could not believe how much she looks like me,” said Jennifer. “She walks like me.”

Said Whitney, “Just listening to her speak, the phrases she uses, like, it reminds me of things I would say.” 

Jennifer also got to meet her granddaughter Rylan, along with Whitney’s adoptive parents.  Jennifer and Whitney plan to see each other again in a month.”

For every annoying person on social media, we hope there is a story such as this. Whitney Brock started a Facebook campaign to find her biological parents, and 12 hours later, she was talking on the phone with her biological mother. A week later they met, and we were all reminded why social media was created in the first place: it keeps us connected to the people we care about, even if we can’t see them everyday. Heartwarming Tuesday indeed.

– Ryan