Adopted as an infant, Lisa discovered that her favorite TV star is her birth mom!
At age 54, Lisa Wright, who’d been adopted as an infant, decided to do a DNA test to find out more about her heritage…and it revealed shocking news: Her biological mom was a TV star she’d watched her whole life!
As her cellphone dinged, Lisa Wright glanced at the screen, and her breath caught. Her DNA results from 23andme were in. This is it…i’ ll finally know about my past, her heart thundered.
Clicking on the message, Lisa immediately looked for matched relatives. At the top of the list was the name Carlton Moody, followed by the words: This person is your uncle.
Nervous but curious, Lisa messaged him, explaining she’d had her DNA tested. It says I am your niece.
Intrigued, Carlton replied and, soon after, the two connected by phone. When she shared her birthdate, Carlton knew Lisa was indeed his niece, the daughter his sister had given up as a teen.
“What is my mother’s name?” Lisa asked.
“It’s Lynne,” he responded. “Lynne Moody.” The name sounded familiar. So when they hung up, Lisa Googled her name and was stunned. She instantly recognized her—from TV!
A joyous discovery
Adopted at 3 months old in Los Angeles by Naomi and Phillip Wright, Lisa was told early on that she had been adopted. “Your mommy truly loved you but was really young and couldn’t take care of you,” they explained. Grateful for the gift they had been given, the Wrights gave Lisa a loving and happy life. One of her favorite memories was gathering around the TV with the family every Wednesday night to watch their favorite sitcom, That’s My Mama. A character on the show was played by Lynne Moody, and as a little girl, Lisa had always thought she was so pretty.
Being adopted, Lisa didn’t look like anyone in her family, and she’d often wonder who she did look like, but she was genuinely happy, so she left the past in the past. Decades rolled by, Lisa built a career as an account executive, became a mother in her early 20s, then raised
her son, Nic, as a single mom. Over the years, she would wonder about her ancestry. So would Nic. When she was 54, with his urging, Lisa decided to have her DNA tested by 23andme.
Now she gazed in awe at Lynne’s picture on her computer screen, not because her biological mother was a celebrity but because for the first time someone looked like her.
Just then, Lisa’s phone rang.
“Is this my daughter?” a woman’s voice asked.
“Oh, my God…is this my mother?” Lisa blurted as tears streamed.
“Yes, sweetie, this is your mom,” Lynne wept, words she dreamed of saying for 54 years.
Lynne had just turned 18 and moved to Hollywood to try to make it as an actress when she had Lisa. Deep in her heart, Lynne longed to keep her baby but she had no job. No money. So she signed the adoption papers, praying her daughter would have a good, happy life.
Lynne went on to have a successful career on TV and in films, appearing in Knots Landing and Roots. Still, there was always a void in her heart. Over the years, she tried to find her daughter, registering on Ancestry. com and on an adoption reunion site. When her brother called and told her he’d spoken to her daughter, Lynne sobbed in disbelief and in gratitude.
She immediately called Lisa.
“I want to see you,” she wept. Learning they lived only minutes apart, they arranged to meet at Lynne’s house the next day. On June 2, 2018, as Lisa’s car rolled into the driveway, it was as if all time just melted away.
“My baby!” Lynne cried, hugging her daughter.
“Mom,” Lisa choked. From that moment on, the two became inseparable. They enjoyed discovering many similarities, such as having the same mannerisms, sharing the same values and both being animal lovers. Lynne was thrilled when, soon after, she met her grandson. Having never had any other children, he was an unexpected gift. “If my adoptive parents were still alive, I know they would be so happy for me,” Lisa shares. “I feel so grateful and blessed!” Lynne smiles. “God works in mysterious ways,” the now-75-year-old beams. “No matter where life took me, there was always a void knowing I had a daughter out there. But if you keep the faith, you just may get a miracle like we did!”
“If you keep the faith, you may just get a miracle like we did,” says Lynne