Facebook photo helps reunite California woman with kidnapped son after 15 years | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Saturday 4 July 2015

Facebook photo helps reunite California woman with kidnapped son after 15 years

A California woman is crediting a Facebook photo with reuniting her with her kidnapped son, 15 years after she says he was taken by his father to Mexico.

On Wednesday, Hope Holland wrapped her arms around her now 18-year-old son, Jonathan, for the first time since he was 3 years old.
"Happy," the South Bay mother managed to choke out while summing up her feelings to reporters with tears pouring out of her eyes.

The extremely emotional moment followed approximately five months of back-and-forth communication with the couple after she stumbled upon an astonishingly familiar photo on Facebook, showing a pair of boys in a bath tub.

'I had no reason to believe I was finding my son. Ever since I found him, my whole world, my whole outlook and direction changed,' said Holland.
Jonathan was taken by his father, with whom Hope shared custody, in 2000.
'His dad was going on vacation in Mexico and had permission to take him. It was a normal day. I didn't think he was not coming back,' Hope said. He never came back with Jonathan.
It was a photo she had taken years ago. It was Jonathan and his older brother Jacob.
"At first, my body responded with panic and excitement. Heart palpitations and sweat...my breathing out of control," she wrote on a GoFundMe page that recounts her incredible journey in finding him.
She admitted that up until that moment she had friended a number of people named Jonathan online who matched his description, so she knew not to get too excited.

But when she clicked on the connecting profile's name, her little boy, all grown up, was seen staring back at her.
"I scrolled through picture after picture, crying. It was like flashes of little movie trailers, giving me insight to pieces of his life," she wrote.

After messaging him with the help of a friend, Holland and her long-lost son spoke for 80 minutes on the phone the first time she called him.

She credits her four years of high school Spanish as the "only reason I was able to talk to my son... thank God!"
Jonathan said that he had no memory of his mother while growing up, but had always wondered if she was out there and thinking of him. That's why he had posted the photo of him as a child.

"I am happy he wanted to know me," she said.
Because of Jonathan's age, Holland said federal authorities declined to provide further assistance in bringing him back to her.

Thanks to funds raised online through Gofundme, however, she was finally able to fly him back to her this week.

Jonathan still has a good relationship with his father and so plans to return to Mexico to finish his final year of high school this fall.
Once he graduates he plans to return to the U.S. and be with his mom.


Source:  NBC

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a very touching story!!! The father is a mean Dush Bag. Happy for him and his Mum!!! Awele

Anonymous said...

God newd.

Akin said...

Good morning Linda

Dave Mide said...

Awwww, lucky her!

Unknown said...

So touching..

Unknown said...

So touching..

Unknown said...

So touching. Owu ihe oji di nma imeta onye dinma enyi......maka echi!

Unknown said...

Oooooooooh my....!

Congrats
Media advantage

Amy said...

One of the benefits of Facebook.

AbokiDaWarriBoy said...

Aya... Thak God for every.

AbokiDaWarriBoy said...

Aya... Thank God for every.

Unknown said...

That nice happy for the woman, what will the wicked man explain now was his reason for separating mother n son.

Anonymous said...

Awww

Anonymous said...

D boy is Fugly! U cn call me #future ms Durant.

Allybrownny said...

Wow!!! Nice,A mother's Love

Gabby said...

The Woman had faith sha, and that is what kept her through the years. Congratulations, social media definitely has its good sides...


GABBY SPEAKS: FAITH BY DUBBY

NaijaDeltaBabe said...

Okay

ary said...

Awww, this is so nice. At least social media has other uses asides being used for posting inappropriate contents as has become the norm.

Unknown said...

Wooow...so touching

Unknown said...

Its all good


OKORO UPGRADED**

Unknown said...

Wow! Sure d woman wl b more dan happy, congrats 2 r

Unknown said...

Wow! Sure d woman wl b more dan happy, congrats 2 r

andre kelvin said...

Awww

Unknown said...

Thank God for her

yourstrulyblogposts.blogspot.com said...

Awwww I'm deeply touched - one of the advantages of facebook

Anonymous said...

Something wrong with this story. Couldn't she have just traced the boy's dad and fund her son? Besides it was a kidnap as the dad has equal rights to his son.

Unknown said...

Good

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Okloho Spenzo said...

Wao!so overwhelming! d advantage of social media

seyi crown said...

Motherhood, so happy for her

#Iamwest said...

Mother and son reuniting, it warms the heart. Happy for them!!!

Unknown said...

Wow Amazing... Thank God

teekay said...

wow.....happy ending

Unknown said...

Woww awesome....

Alero said...

The positive effect of facebook..

Unknown said...

Dats one of the advantages of social media. Congrats to them. Linda take note!

Unknown said...

Dats one of the advantages of social media. Congrats to them. Linda take note!

Anonymous said...

Eya....Happy for them. Can someone tell FB to connect me to a wealth family? Am der missing daughter.


HOL

Juleslouis said...

Oh my! So touching. She must have been tormented those times she didn't hear from him. Can't imagine loosing my 3yr old child. I'm happy for her.

Aluko Temiloluwa said...

Ehya, tnk God

Anonymous said...

Douche

prettiyz said...

Am so happy for them

Anonymous said...

Touching but he looks older than 18 shaa

Unknown said...

So touching! Happy for them....

Unknown said...

no one like mama...happy for those two..can't imagine the joy

Unknown said...

no one like mama..am happy for those two..can't imagine the joy

Unknown said...

no one like mama...happy for those two..can't imagine the joy

Unknown said...

See the power of social media.

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