Chris Walker, a police sergeant with the Petersburg police force, was shocked to find out the man listed on his birth certificate was not his father. After his mother gave him the name of his real father, Clayton Hamilton, he thought about a 53 year old police detective who had recently joined the suburban Petersburg police unit.
Although the two men are spitting images of each other, Walker thought he had hit a dead end when chatting with Hamilton, who informed Walker that his name was short for Claiborne, not Clayton.
Still, Hamilton’s age matched with what Walker’s mother had told him, and Hamilton told Walker he once dated a woman who went by the name of Billie Joe Walker.
Walker called his mother, but she was insistent that her son hadn’t found his real father, because the names didn’t match. Then Walker asked his mother if she knew a woman named Billie Joe.
“There was a pause on the phone, and she said, ‘That’s your dad,’ ” Walker told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. It turned out his mother’s teen nickname was Billie Joe, based on a hit song of the time, “Ode to Billie Joe.”
One DNA test later, Walker had found his father.
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.
Chris Walker has two "real" fathers, the man who adopted and raised him, and the man whose DNA he shares. That being said, the use of the term "real" is absolutely inapproraite and insensitive. Chris has a father (the man who adopted him and raised him) and a birth father (the man who is biologically linked to him). Chris didn't need a DNA test to find his father. He only needed to go home to visit his parents. His father and mother were there. A DNA test proves biology, not love nor sacrifice.
To take this a little further for all concerned (which is to say, the human race) babies are not "given up" nor "given away" nor "put up" for adoption. In modern terms, they are "placed" for adoption or "their birthparents made an adoption plan", whichever is appropriate. And adopted children are the adoptive parents' "own" kids. Both my biological son and my adopted daughter are "my own" kids as my adopted sister is my "own" sister. Where love is concerned there is no distinction among mature people how these kids came into their families.
Too many popular publications and people discussing families or relationships are undereducated in modern adoption circumstances, legalities, and trends which means their approach in print or speech is frequently ignorant of the sensitivities required for the welfare of the precious children involved.
There are many strange quirks when it comes to genetics and chosen occupation. I read a story a few years ago about 2 twins that were separated at birth and given to 2 different families. When they later found out about each other they found out they we're both firemen and made similar choices in their life. This isn't as spectacular as other stories, but it's interesting to see how passed down genes can effect a child and their lifestyle choices without even knowing their biological parent.
They are discussing the name on the birth certificate as being Chris' real father. There is nothing wrong with the use of the word "real" in that context. There is no discussion in the article of Chris being having been adopted and raised by another man. Why are you assuming that he has an adoptive father and a birth father? I find it highly inappropriate for you to give us a lecture on semantics when it has nothing to do with the story at hand.