I asked my mother about it. She admitted it was true but swore me to secrecy.

She was adept at keeping secrets. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, her family grew to include nine children, though only three were her biological siblings. The other six were left by parents who went in search of employment and never came back.

Glenn only discovered the truth about his origins after his parents died in the early 2000s. Source: Supplied

When my parents passed away in 2002 and 2003, my sister, who had long suspected she may be adopted, found the truth.

That son was me.

My mother thought she’d lost me forever

Determined to find answers, I sought counselling and began searching for records related to my birth.

She had spent decades believing she had lost me forever.

Since our reunion, we have stayed in touch. I have met four of my half-siblings, and my world has expanded in ways I never could have anticipated.

Searching for my father

We keep in regular contact and visit each other when we can. I also have met three more half-siblings.

It reinforced to me the importance of knowing one’s family medical history.

‘My world has grown’