this american life switched at birth transcript

Were you afraid of Norburg at all? So we never said anything about it. Some time between five and 15 days ago. Yeah. He explained things like why all those years ago he refused to return to the hospital and switch back the babies. When I hear this episode now, what hits me honestly is how cunningly structured thing is where where you hear about the mom from all these other people before you ever hear from her and then how your picture of her changes once you actually hear her. [00:00:33] I couldn't see any merit to it. Even if she could somehow convince everyone it was true. Your service title Give us a brief description of the service that you are promoting. And I wanted to be a cheerleader, you know, I didn't get picked. And of course, I thought that was foolish. Neither Sue nor Marti blames Mrs. Miller for going along with her husband. And then to think that I didn't get to raise the one that I had wanted so much. "Though there are many, many good things about our family and parents and being raised by that family, there were also some definite deficits. Two teenage girls' lives are turned upside down when they find out they were switched at birth. At the hospital in 1951, Kay McDonald was told that she'd given birth to a nine-pound, four-ounce baby. I mean, what was your reaction? And quoting scriptures all the time for me to read to console me, because I had said that I had I had shed a lot of tears and and I had probably all of the emotions that you have with death in a family. This American Life is produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago . She was just tired of secrets. Reverend Miller had once been pastor there, so he and Mrs. Miller were invited. And then she's going to say, well, I don't need that daughter anymore. Mary Miller is 96 now. And as you heard in the letter, one thing that makes this whole thing even stranger is that the two couples knew each other. Well, no, I wasn't afraid of him. And the other thing was that he really thought, what difference does it make? We're devoting the full hour today to what happened to these two families. Switched at Birth. She didn't question that every day she was at the hospital. It's gripping, a real 'page turner', and it's all true. I thought that was such a ridiculous thing to say. She looks just like Mary. One mother, Mary Miller, knew and kept it a secret. She was a delight to all of us, so pretty, so photogenic, so full of life. And so, of course, he was trying to get me to say that I had forgiven them. And I said, I don't know. I couldn't do anything about it. He thought she really dreamed this up in her head and. And now suddenly it turned out Sue was one of them. She first sent the letter to Sue McDonald, the daughter she barely knew, and then waited almost two weeks before mailing the letter to Marti, the daughter she'd raised. If you have a smartphone or tablet, the easiest way to listen to this, and all the other radio shows for the class, is to download the This American Life app. We love you, Martha Jane-- I'm sorry. If she still believes she's my sister, that's good. My name is Bob McDonald. They knew Reverend Miller. But even she never divulged the secret to Bob or any of the McDonald's. I talked to Norbert about it, but he did not want to disgrace our good Dr. Deslack. So there would have been no proof. Over the years, Mrs. Miller would do or say things concerning the girls, things that just seemed strange to Kay. Marti calls Mrs. Miller once a week to check up on her, just like Sue does. She'd also moved out of Wisconsin, in her case to Southern California. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards. At one point toward the end of the party, as Sue stood nearby, Marty started talking about the room that she had grown up in. They have mutual acquaintances. Mrs. Miller would do or say things concerning the girls, things that just seem strange to Kay. Well, my sisters had this crazy thing going on when they were when Faith was a teenager, she would push the dresser and the cedar chest against the door. And. But I had talked to several of our former pastors who knew about the situation and they assured me that this was not God's will. So let's take them one by one, starting with Sue, Mrs. Miller's baby, who was raised by the McDonald's. And yes, Sue was different from the rest of the family in certain ways, dark and tall and skinny in a family that was none of those. Today on our show, we hear what happens when somebody takes your family and throws it up in the air like a deck of cards. They were married for 60 years. That wasn't something that they would have done because athletics was really not a value to them at all. But I thought each of you should know your biological and spiritual backgrounds. And the purpose of this letter is that Mrs. Miller is breaking the news-- 43 years after the fact-- to Martha and Sue that she took the wrong baby home from the hospital, that Martha and Sue were switched at birth, that she's not Martha's biological mom, she's Sue's. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. It is one of the several identifiable characteristics of melodrama that are plot devices dealing with situations that are highly improbable in real life. He did not want her to push me out of the family. I thought I was losing both of them. Sue now had four new sisters and two new brothers. And when Bob found out about Marty, found out that she was his biological sister, he called her right away in California. And so while Sue had feared everyone would choose Marti, the outgoing cheerleader, over her, it didn't work out that way. This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. So instead of going in the hall and going, oh, it would probably register going in the front. Archive; Recommended; How to Listen; . Mr MacDonald's health didn't allow it. When I weighed the baby, she weighed two and 1/2 pounds less than her birth weight. I was a crazy woman who thought I had her girl. What are you supposed to be with each other? That is why I wanted to write this letter. But he had everybody convinced, I think, that it was God's will, but I had talked to several of our former pastors who knew about the situation, and they assured me that this was not God's will. She turns the groom and handed Bob's older son a present for his baby. So I passed it off. On the positive side, Switched at Birth does like to include American Sign Language. I didn't have a doubt in my mind. Seven kids in all. The five girls shared one bedroom. And I was just horrified. It was pretty concealed right within our own church. The Story Behind 'Switched at Birth's' Emotional Racism Episode. I didn't have anything to do with it. If you are able, we strongly encourage you to listen to the audio, which includes emotion and emphasis that's not on the page. And he was very angry at first with me. The church was the center of their lives and the family never went on vacation or even to the movies. Bay grew up in a wealthy family with two parents and a brother. And I knew that she had to be my sister. TV-14 | 04.11.2017 42:35 And she's going to get this popular Marti, who's so fun-loving and looks like her. Switched at Birth: Created by Lizzy Weiss. She didn't have the Sociales that came so naturally to Bob and Marty. When she finally heard from Mrs. Miller, the mother she'd grown up with, not only did she get the letter, but Mrs. Miller had just been to the 50th anniversary party of the McDonalds, Marti's biological parents. And then after I knew that they were. And she said, you really need to consider how that's going to change your family for you and how it's going to change relationships for you. Was there ever a time when you thought back and thought I should have stood my ground more with him on that? That's what it might have ended if it hadn't been for Mrs. Switched at Birth S1 E2 American Gothic The parents navigate their new living situation, Daphne hangs out with Liam and Regina opens up to Bay about her family's past. You know, I would I was just like, wow, you know, wow. The series, in which Ms. Leclerc plays a teenager who lost her hearing as a young child, has been off the air for more than a year . And that was odd, very odd. And I'm not one to borrow trouble. She told the counselor her story and said she wanted to get blood tests done. I don't think your sister's yours. In fact, we were even weren't even sure we'd have another child, so of course, we were elated when I did get pregnant and and then to think that I didn't get to raise the one that I had wanted to so much and. For starters, Mrs. Miller didn't contact Marty Insu at the same time, she first sent the letter to Sue McDonald, the daughter she barely knew, and then waited almost two weeks before mailing the letter to Marty, the daughter she'd raised. Wow, wow. After all those years, she was just tired of secrets. Besides her, there was Mary Lydia, Faith, Ruth, Sonny, Luke, and Esther. The next week, though, when Marti was visiting their mom, Mrs. Miller, she asked her about what Rudy had said. No, we didn't get that. So now we are both aware of what happened 43 years ago. In fact, it was the exact opposite. No, I didn't. And at the same time, you have a new mom or new daughter, it is not so clear what you're supposed to do with this new parent or new child who's now in your life. And like my dad said, you are my child. Weeks went by and Sue began to fret. I have much anguish and many tears, but I feel I must get this out in the open so you to know how wonderful that you both are, Christians and great workers in the church. There were a few years there, where every chance my mother got, she made it perfectly clear that I was a McDonald. Thanks especially to the McDonald and Miller families for letting us into their homes and telling their stories. The infants were accidentally switched, and went home with the wrong families. Your service title . Neither Sue nor Marty blames Mrs. Miller for going along with her husband. Occasionally she'd break down and cry. And every time I'd talk to him, he'd say, oh, it's all right. This summer, Bob McDonald, younger son, got married in period. And in the meantime, I had gotten phone calls from people I didn't even know that we're telling me, hey, I'm your brother. This is the daughter that actually was in you. And is the reason because Marty brought something important to your family, you cheated. The card was signed, from your other possible parents. And as you heard in the letter, one thing that makes this whole thing even stranger is that the two couples knew each other. I don't think that they ever came to watch me cheer in a game. And keep his friendship, you know, if I turn against him, like, gotten on that. Because it was terrible that hang over your head and. In fact, when I would go down and have any touch with the McDonalds-- we got introduced to them-- I tried to talk to her about it. 754. At last, Mrs. Miller felt free to act. Just got obsessed with it. When I first talked to Mrs. Miller about what had happened when Mary was born, she told me pretty much the same story she told in her letter, how she knew as soon as she got home and weighed the baby that the nurses had made a mistake.