Meeting my birth mother, Betty, was one of the highlights of my life...
It happened back in 1976, if I remember correctly. I was overjoyed to learn I also had a sister, and two pretty nieces, along with a terrific brother-in-law.
Having been adopted at birth, I always wondered who my maternal parents were. What they looked like, and why I was placed for adoption in the first place. It’s a long story, but a reasonable one. And when I found my mother, I learned that my father had already passed away.
In spite of the many inaccurate and ridiculous reports that began to develop shortly after my arrest, and spread like wildfire, my birth mother and I got along wonderfully. Betty was a kind soul and was your typical Jewish mom, devoted to her family. I loved her unique accent. It was a combination of English and Yiddish, spoken in a Brooklyn, New York style. I miss her!
My birth mother and I hit it off from our very first meeting. As our relationship began to grow, she and I, and my sister, visited each other often.
For the record, those horrible “Son of Sam” shootings had nothing whatsoever to do with either Betty, or my being adopted. Sadly, however, from the moment of my arrest, various “experts” began to speculate why the crimes happened. Without ever speaking to me personally, these “talking-heads” gave their opinions to the media, and the media went wild with it.
Throughout the years, I have tried to do what I could to set the record straight. Especially because these inaccurate stories only served to heighten the grief and pain my birth family experienced after my arrest. But I don’t think I've been very successful. More than forty years later, the same misinformation abounds.
Fortunately, in 2015 I was given the opportunity to do a lengthy talk about this, along with other subjects. What came about, as a result of my candid session, was a nine-part video that can be easily viewed on this website. I think many would be enlightened by what I had to say.
D.B.
Having been adopted at birth, I always wondered who my maternal parents were. What they looked like, and why I was placed for adoption in the first place. It’s a long story, but a reasonable one. And when I found my mother, I learned that my father had already passed away.
In spite of the many inaccurate and ridiculous reports that began to develop shortly after my arrest, and spread like wildfire, my birth mother and I got along wonderfully. Betty was a kind soul and was your typical Jewish mom, devoted to her family. I loved her unique accent. It was a combination of English and Yiddish, spoken in a Brooklyn, New York style. I miss her!
My birth mother and I hit it off from our very first meeting. As our relationship began to grow, she and I, and my sister, visited each other often.
For the record, those horrible “Son of Sam” shootings had nothing whatsoever to do with either Betty, or my being adopted. Sadly, however, from the moment of my arrest, various “experts” began to speculate why the crimes happened. Without ever speaking to me personally, these “talking-heads” gave their opinions to the media, and the media went wild with it.
Throughout the years, I have tried to do what I could to set the record straight. Especially because these inaccurate stories only served to heighten the grief and pain my birth family experienced after my arrest. But I don’t think I've been very successful. More than forty years later, the same misinformation abounds.
Fortunately, in 2015 I was given the opportunity to do a lengthy talk about this, along with other subjects. What came about, as a result of my candid session, was a nine-part video that can be easily viewed on this website. I think many would be enlightened by what I had to say.
D.B.
