Patricia thought she was protecting her son. Pregnant at 17, the father of her son Jose was just 15. Their parents forbade them from being together. For the next 23 years, Jose believed his stepfather was his biological father.
Then Patricia told him the truth. Patricia is adopted and her parents did not reveal this to her until she was an adult, and she believed it was the right decision to wait. While that was the correct choice for her, keeping Jose's father's identity from him tore her family apart.
Patricia was Jose's best friend. He felt betrayed and unable to trust anyone ever again. Jose was able to find his biological father and form a relationship with him, which made Patricia feel like her son was choosing his dad over her. Soon after, Jose almost quit speaking to his mother altogether.
For the next six years, they barely spoke on the phone, followed by five months of complete radio silence.
The family reached out to Iyanla: Fix My Life in 2012, to see if Iyanla Vanzant could help them cope with the family secret that tore them apart. The process was emotional and difficult, but it all culminated in the moment below.
Patricia wrote Jose a letter, admitting that she lied, but reminding him of the truth: that she loved him. Jose was able to realize that his mother's actions were hurtful, but that she lied to protect him. When she asked Jose if he could ever forgive her, he said yes.
The mother and son hugged, signifying the beginning of their new relationship built on trust, rather than secrecy.
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