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Originally Posted By Grady Thurston

This is a story of success, which took 29 years of constant searching for a daughter that was taken from my home in Maine in 1972, 28 years of failures, but in the end success.

My full name is Reverend Edwin Grady Thurston; born 10/27/1950 in Maine, and before I was born again in 1971 I spent some time with a lady also of Maine. I was twenty years old at the time and just honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps. I was informed some months later that a paternity suit had been filed against me in Maine while I was job hunting in Washington D.C. and on my final interview with the ATF.

I traveled back up to Maine to see what I could do about resolving this situation. I had a blood test taken that showed I could be the father of the child.

After contacting the birth mother and seeing the little girl I felt she had the same color blue eyes my father had, which are unique. She had blonde hair, a strawberry birthmark, and had a minor foot deformity, which I had foot problems also. I claimed her as my daughter right there and then and asked the birth mother if we might live together to see if marriage would be possible, she agreed and we moved in together.

Within a few months, one day I came home from my job in Portland, Maine and found the birth mother and my
daughter gone. A number of months later I got a notice from some adoption agency in (I think Orlando) Florida that my daughter had been given up for adoption in Florida. But, I want all to know; this was without my permission.

She was born 2/15/72 in Portland Maine. I was not put on the birth certificate for what reason only the mother knows seeing she claimed I was the father. As I mentioned before, there was a paternity filed against me in Portland Maine by the birth mother stating just that.

On Sunday May 4, 2002, my daughter was found. After a 29-year search I was finally put in contact with my daughter who now lives in Pensacola Florida. On May 6, 2002 my wife and I drove from Kentucky to Florida and met with my daughter. She is the most precious, pretty, smart 30-year-old lady that anyone could know. She is happy and now looking forward to coming to Kentucky, then going with us to Maine to meet her family and see her roots.

My contact information is;

Rev. Grady Thurston
1917 Harrington Mill Rd
Shelbyville KY 40065
916-812-0332 (cell)
606-256-0218
www.joyministries.net

My cell phone is from California where we have a home. My wife, Sue, and I bought a motor home. We have decided to travel full time in our RV to see the country because I have terminal cancer. The mailing address is Sue’s sister in Shelbyville who has a small horse farm.


You’re Never Alone

You’re never alone, I’m always near, When your troubled, down or blue.
All you have to do is call me, I’m always here for you.
It doesn’t matter where I’m at,
It doesn’t matter when.
When you need someone to talk to,
I’m here to be your friend.
If you need someone to hold your hand,
or a hug to say I care.
If you need a shoulder to cry on,
for you I will be there.
So never think you are a burden, when the weight gets to be to much. You might find if you look hard enough, a loving
father could be the right touch.
You’re never alone, I’m always here, through the good times and the bad.
I’m always here to be your father,
I don’t like to see you sad

By Grady Thurston
for his daughter Jennifer