After more than 40 years of separation, 64-year-old Edita Bizama has finally reunited with her daughter, Adamary Garcia, who was taken from her as an infant during Chile’s military dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet.
Garcia, now 41, was forcibly removed from her mother shortly after birth and sent abroad for adoption—one of an estimated 20,000 children taken as part of a state-led effort to reduce child poverty through international adoptions.
Bizama recalled the relentless pressure she faced from a social worker in 1984, who convinced her that she could not provide for a third child. After spending just five days with her newborn, she was forced to surrender her baby and was sent back to her hometown, unable to trace her daughter’s whereabouts.
Thousands of miles away in Florida, Garcia grew up unaware of the full story behind her adoption. It was only after a friend introduced her to Tyler Graf, a Texas firefighter and founder of the NGO Connecting Roots, that she learned the truth. The organization, dedicated to reuniting Chilean adoptees with their biological families, identified Bizama as Garcia’s mother through DNA testing.
Their emotional reunion unfolded over Zoom before Garcia traveled to Chile for an in-person meeting. The moment was filled with both silence and awe as Garcia marveled at how much she resembled her mother and sisters.
Now embracing her Chilean heritage, Garcia is immersing herself in the country’s language, culture, and traditions. She plans to explore Patagonia with her sisters and make Chile a permanent part of her life.
“It’s been non-stop laughs and tears,” she said. “This is a moment that helps everybody find closure on the past while building relationships that will last a lifetime.”
