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Tuesday, May 3,1994
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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JAMIE O'HARA RISE ABOVE IT
Jamie O'Hara makes his mark in the country music world with his debut solo album, "Rise Above It". His commitment to thought-provoking, honest lyrics and emotional arrangements will keep you coming back for more. Features the hit single, "The Cold Hard Truth".
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"So many emotions ..."
One woman's search uncovers seven siblings
By Kevin Hoffmann
Kansan staff writer
Photo courtesy of Jodi Breckenridge
The children of the Koland family were excited to find out they had one more sister, Jodi Breckenridge, who was given up for adoption at birth. After being reunited two years ago, Breckenridge and the Kolands share a positive relationship.
Jodi Breckenridge hoped that the search for her biological mother would forge a link with her biological past. Instead it led to seven links.
Breckenridge, director of student and Kansas honors programs at the KU Alumni Association, found seven biological siblings during her search for her biological mother, who died when Breckenridge was five.
Breckenridge's search began through Catholic Social Services, which handled her adoption.
"They couldn't release any information on the adoption, but they could give me the name of a lady who knew the family," Breckenridge said.
After Breckenridge's contact notified the family, a biological sister, Annette Karol Gabrick, found Breckenridge.
"After I found out, I couldn't stand to wait," Grabick said. "So I called Jodi's adoptive mom and arranged to go out to their home in Topeka."
Gabrick remembers barely being able to see through her tears on her drive home.
"I cried for my.mother," she said. "I thought about how hard it must have been for her. I felt sorry for her.
"I was also sad for all of us because we had missed out on the chance to grow up with Jodi."
One day later Breckenridge met the rest of her biological siblings, three brothers and three sisters. All of Breckenridge's siblings have a different biological father than Jodi does. "We all met in Lawrence," Breckenridge said, remembering that emotional day. "We just all started bawling."
Surprisingly, there wasn't much uneasiness during that first meeting, she said.
"We just wanted to swallow her up. She's ours," she said. "But then I thought, whoa, hold on. She has a family of her own."
"We compared hands, feet and other features," she said, chuckling as she remembered. She even shared her tattoos with one of her sisters.
Breckenridge is common company
Gabrick remembered having to restrain her feelings.
at the Koland's family gatherings.
But as much as Breckenridge enjoys her relationship with the Kolands, she cautions those who wish to search out families they never knew.
"You have to be aware of the emotions of everyone involved," she said. "Everyone always hears the side of the adopted person, but never the family members."
Breckenridge's adopted sister Janet grew up afraid someone would come and get Jodi, her baby sister.
"So when we were actually doing that, even though we were adults, those emotions were always there," Breckenridge said. "She was so supportive, but one day she was being all quiet and all this came out."
Breeckenridge also cautioned against having any expectations when searching.
"You can't go in with any expectations one way or the other," she said.
But for Breckenridge, her search ended only in good feelings.
"I'm so lucky that I can enjoy a loving relationship with two families," she said. "The Breckenridges because they'll always be my family, and the Kolands because we have a special bond."
Photo courtesy of Jodi Breckenridge
Joli Breckenridge was adopted at birth. Curiosity about her birth mother led to a search that introduced her to seven biological siblings.
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