A Toronto man born in Charlottetown in 1978 is trying to find his P.E.I. birth parents to say thank you.
John Harvey MacEwen, 39, says he’s grateful to his birth parents for the choice they made, for giving him a second chance with a new family.
But, he’s searching for closure, especially now that he has a six-year-old son. Somewhere, someone has the same eyes they do, the same hands.
MacEwen wants to learn more.
He filed a request two years ago with P.E.I. Child and Family Services and received a letter that gave him some insight into his birth parents.
He was born at the Prince Edward Hospital in Charlottetown on April 21, 1978, under the name Blair Anthony, weighing six pounds, 7.5 ounces.
His case was handled by the Protestant Family Services Bureau.
MacEwen was told his birth mother was in her teens, had a Grade 12 education and was attending school at the time of his birth.
It is reported that she had two younger siblings, both in their early adolescent years (in Grade 9 and 7 at the time) and that her parents also lived in P.E.I.
Her father was a mechanic, and her mother worked for a bank.
MacEwen was adopted by Anne and Harvey MacEwen.
John MacEwen said he made his first attempt to find his birth parents when he was 18, but things didn’t go well.
The person who initiated the search turned it into such a negative experience that he gave up, only to resume it now.
“I would like them to know that their choice was a good choice, from my perspective anyway,’’ MacEwen said. “It may not have been (a good experience) for them, that’s something I can’t control, but I’ve had a good experience through this.
“I’ve always had everything that I wanted. I’ve always played on sports teams that I’ve wanted, always had girlfriends, always done well at school, all that good stuff. Whatever I wanted, I got. It was a very, very simple, easy life and I just want to let (my birth parents) know that.’’
Christina Cleveland, MacEwen’s wife, said they have leveraged a lot of options to seek information, adding that Anne and Harvey have been totally supportive the entire time.
She said John was born in Charlottetown, adopted in Alberton and then moved to Summerside as a teenager.
John’s search also continues as an “active search’’ through a representative with P.E.I. Family and Human Services.
MacEwen welcomes information as part of his search. He can be reached at [email protected].
