Woman's Search for Birth Mother on Facebook Turns Up Another Surprise Instead

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Katie McGlade posted this photo on Facebook in hopes of finding her birth mother. The post has since gone viral. (Photo: Facebook/Katie McGlade)

A 22-year-old woman’s Facebook search for her biological mother has gone viral this week, and she may even have a lead – to her biological sister.

Katie McGlade has known she was adopted her entire life, she recently told People. She was born in Easton, Penn., on Sept. 21,1992, and was adopted in November of that year through the Catholic Social Agency Diocese of Allentown, an agency she says no longer exists.

STORY: Adopted Woman Finds Mom After Facebook Photo Goes Viral

At the time, McGlade’s parents didn’t know much about her biological mother, only that she also had a son and a daughter. “The mom gave no information to the agency. I have no idea where I came from,” McGlade told Lehigh Valley Live. “It is something that has been bothering me my entire life. I’ve always wanted to know why. Why she gave me up for no reason.”

After trying, unsuccessfully, to get information through the court system, McGlade, who lives in Bethlehem, Penn., decided to take her search online. “So me and my best friend came up with the idea [to post about it on Facebook]. We were like, ‘Why don’t we just do it? Maybe it’ll go somewhere,’” she told People.com.

STORY: Finally, a Happy Ending for the Teen Who Begged Somebody to Adopt Him

She posted a photo of herself holding a sign that reads: “Hi! My name is Kathleen McGlade and I’m trying to locate my birth mother. I was born at home in Easton, PA on September 21, 1992 and brought to Easton Hospital in Easton, PA. I was then put up for adoption through Catholic Social Agency Diocese of Allentown. Please share this and help me find her! Please and thank you!”

The photo, which was posted on Sunday night, has been shared more than 9,000 times. “It’s absolutely insane,” McGlade told People. “I feel like I’m in a Lifetime movie.” She says her parents are “really supportive” of her search, too.

McGlade did not respond to Yahoo Parenting’s request for comment.

Within 24 hours of posting her search online, McGlade heard from a woman who she believes might be her biological sister. “She saw the post and she was like, 'Oh my God, that sounds like my mom’ and so she contacted me,“ McGlade said. "We’re still talking and it seems our stories are matching up." The woman lives in New York, and McGlade is hoping to get DNA tests to confirm whether or not they are related.

On Tuesday, McGlade created a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising money for DNA testing. “As we all know DNA tests are not the cheapest things in the world and some of the persons involved live out of state,” she wrote on her page. “If you could all help me just one more time that would be amazing. Anything will help and I’m beyond excited to get this process started and find the answers I’ve been searching for my whole life.”

McGlade originally posted a fundraising goal of $700, but told People that Ancestry.com has offered to test the potential sisters for free.

Though McGlade knows she won’t be sure without a DNA test, she told People that she feels good about the new lead. “We both like tattoos and piercings and we have the same taste in music and we say the same phrases, it’s weird,” she said. “Because I’m an only child right now, it would be amazing to have [siblings].”

And if this lead doesn’t pan out, she’ll keep searching for her birth mom. “At first I want answers,” she told People. “Then I would hope to have some kind of relationship with her because she’s my mom and she’s the reason I’m here.”

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