13 Famous People Who Were Adopted

Because adoption sometimes gets negative publicity, it’s good to read about adoptees who grew up to do interesting or extraordinary things with their lives.

here are 13 examples.

*Important to note: Although these names are largely recognizable, each life is equally valued in God’s eyes. every child who was fostered and/or adopted has the ability to impact generations regardless of whether the world takes notice or not.

1. baby ruth

He and his sister were sent to the orphanage at a young age. the good news? It was there that he met brother Matthias who taught and encouraged him to play baseball. A scout became his legal guardian, and Ruth spent an unprecedented 22 seasons playing ball. He eventually became one of America’s best baseball players…as well as a foster father.

2. eleanor roosevelt

At age 15, Roosevelt was a double orphan who was later adopted by her grandmother. Ella Roosevelt would go on to become the longest-serving first lady of the United States, as well as a United States delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. She has been called the “first lady of the world” in tribute to her achievements in human rights.

3. stevejobs

Given up and adopted shortly after birth, Jobs was a successful entrepreneur who became the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. he has personally been associated with the technological revolution that has swept the world.

4. melissa gilbert

After being adopted as a baby, Gilbert starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie from 1974 to 1984.

5. john hancock

Raised by an extended family after his father’s death, Hancock became a noted patriot of the American Revolution. His signature is so well recognized on the Declaration of Independence that the term “John Hancock” has become synonymous in the United States. for signature.

6. michael other

adopted at age 17 after spending years in various foster homes another played offensive lineman for the ole miss rebels then was drafted by the baltimore ravens in the first round of the 2009 nfl draft. he is which the blindside was written about and eventually made into an academy award-winning movie.

7. Nelson Mandela

Raised by a tribal chief after the death of his father (when Mandela was 9 years old), he grew up to be the President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. he is known as a revolutionary, politician and philanthropist.

8. Leo Tolstoy

Raised by an extended family after the death of his parents, Tolstoy grew up to become a famous Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, and philosopher whose works are still widely read and appreciated today.

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9. nancy reagan

After her parents separated, Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins) lived with an aunt and uncle for much of her upbringing. she eventually moved in with her mother and took her stepfather’s last name, “davis”. In addition to serving as one of the most beloved first ladies, Reagan started the well-known “just say no” drug awareness campaign.

10. david thomas

Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to a single girl he never knew, Thomas was adopted at 6 weeks old. At age 5, when his (adoptive) mother died, Thomas moved in with his grandmother. Thomas grew up to become the founder and CEO of the Wendy’s restaurant chain, where Thomas used his platform to frequently and generously advocate for adoption.

11. edgar allan poe

Edgar Poe was born in 1809, Poe’s father left the family in 1810, and his mother died the following year. Considered an orphan, he was sent to live with the Allan family in Virginia, who raised him to adulthood. he became an American writer known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his mysteries. he is considered the inventor of the detective story.

12. gerald ford

leslie lynch king jr. He was only 16 days old when his parents separated. A couple of years later, King’s mother remarried and they changed their name to Leslie Lynch King Jr. Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., in honor of his stepfather (who Ford says played a wonderful role in his life). ford became the 38th president of the united states.

13. bile simone

After spending time in and out of foster care, Bile was adopted by her grandparents, who helped her pursue her dream of reaching the Olympics. An American gymnast, Biles became the 2016 individual all-around, vault, and floor Olympic gold medalist. As an integral part of the “Final Five,” she became the most decorated American gymnast with nineteen World Championship and Olympic medals. /p>

bonus:

someone you might not easily think of as adopted is jesus. while jesus, the son of god, was born and raised by mary, he too was accepted as a son and raised by joseph. In fact, the book of Matthew traces the genealogy of Christ through the lineage of Joseph, as opposed to Mary, to establish Christ’s qualifications as Israel’s Messiah. Adoption, both physical and spiritual, is a good and perfect part of God’s plan to redeem sinful man for all eternity. for more on this read: how the christmas story is an adoption story

every orphan could be someone’s son or daughter.

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